


Piper's Rain

by LadyofAvalon



Series: The Legend of the Fox [2]
Category: Provost's Dog - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-09
Updated: 2012-06-09
Packaged: 2017-11-07 08:29:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 83,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/428971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyofAvalon/pseuds/LadyofAvalon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Long ago, Rosto the Piper vanished without a trace.  Years later, the son he never knew he had has become a Dog like his mother.  When a case sends him on the road to Scanra, nothing is as Jarred expected, and something long hidden comes to light...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jarred

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story that I wrote back in 2008, and it was heavily inspired by the fanon version of Bloodhound written by my former writing buddy, Lady Wolf (Adagio To A Wolf) over on Fanfiction. This story takes that version and what the two of us wrote together into account rather than the actual version of Bloodhound that Tamora Pierce wrote. It completely ignores both the continuity of both Bloodhound and Mastiff, as neither was published when this story was begun or completed.

From the journal of Rebakah Cooper,  
Provost's Guardswoman,  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 3, 267

Writ before Evening Watch

I figure I should do as usual, but I can't stand it right now. Today's a hard day for me. Every year it's hard, for the last eighteen years. Eighteen years ago, I said goodbye to Rosto for the last time. Then, I didn't know it was the last time.

Rosto and I had said goodbye that evening when I was off for my Watch and he to his Court. He hadn't come home. Aniki said he'd never arrived.

We never found a body, we never had a ransom note, and no one claimed to have killed the Rogue. Not even a spirit on a pigeon. We searched the entire city. I haven't seen Rosto since that day.

Today we'd have been married for nineteen years to the day. Aniki took over the Rogue, after that. What I find the hardest is that Rosto never knew his son. Jarred's a good young cove – he's to be made a Puppy tonight. Jarred reminds me so much of Rosto, the way he acts.

He acts like his father so much it scares me some days. I know I'm lucky to have him. At this point, I think I'd be lost without him. Some Lower City Rat would have cut my throat by now.

Things have changed since Rosto's disappearance. The Dogs at Jane Street Kennel have changed. When Ahuda retired a few years ago, Goodwin was put in charge of the Kennel. She wasn't too happy, but she took it anyway.

She and Tunstall still walk Watch for all they're getting up there in years for Dogs. When she goes on Watch she usually leaves Harper or some other of the senior Dogs who have a different Watch in charge. I haven't had anything interesting on Watch for weeks, but I've gotten used to that.

It doesn't bother me so much when it's the beginning of April. It's been hard for me since Rosto. I knew I shouldn't have let the relationship get that far. I knew I shouldn't have let him get closer than a friend. Now it hurts to even think of him, I miss him so much…

Even now, I can see Rosto in my mind's eye. I can remember him so clearly after eighteen years. His skin was as pale as starlight, and he was proud of it.

He wore his hair long, pulled back in a horsetail – it was the color of the corona of the sun, so pale that it was almost white. He hated it when someone said that he had white hair, he got all upset over it if sommat was mentioned about that topic.

Eyes like the dark side of the moon, he had, sometimes the look in his eyes could make any mot or cove in the room flinch just by looking at him. I remember every scar on his hands, the way he held his daggers, the way he played his pipes, the way he never ran from a battle.

He met any opponent face on, even if he was outnumbered, or if it was the Dogs. So many times he could have gotten himself doused, but he didn't. He was constantly in danger, being the Rogue and all, but he always made it back.

I never though I'd lose him. I was so naïve to think him invincible. I never saw that he was as much a human as me. He was just as likely to die.

He never seemed like it, but he was just as vulnerable. He seemed so sure of himself, so comfortable, so invulnerable. He seemed to be so secure – he was the Rogue, I didn't realize that he was just as insecure as me, that there was more than the calm, charming surface.

Rosto had a good heart, you wouldn't be able to find another Rat, or a Dog, even, who was like him. He was a good cove, even if he was a Rat. He wasn't the kind of cove who just got up and left. That's why I'm so sure he's dead.

Rosto had promised, and it was against who he was. He'd promised that he would be by my side when I needed him, that the only thing that could keep us apart was death. Mayhap he was captured by someone, or sommat else happened, but I don't think so. He never would have broken his promise to me, I know it. He never would have let sommat like that happen. That's how it was for him, near the end in particular – all or nothing. It almost hurts to think of him these days.

I hate to think that Jarred's had to grow up without his father. I tried my best, but I'm not so sure that my best was good enough. Jarred's so much like Rosto, I wonder if it's just because he's the Piper's son, sometimes.

It's Watch time. I'd best get going, else Goodwin will have my head for being late again.

Writ after Evening Watch

My son's a Puppy now. He's just gotten back from Watch with his Dogs. I remember what it was like, myself. He hasn't said a word about what it was like for him. He was awful tired, and he was asleep before he even got to his bed. I have time to recount my Watch, now.

It wasn't unusual for the most part for the first few hours. Kayly and I rarely have anything to do at first – after that, we're busy. Tonight we had a gang of Rats – not part of the Rogue, just Rats – trying to ambush and kill a couple of knights and Dogs.

They stood in a dark alleyway as we passed, seemingly not paying attention. That's what made me keep a glim on them while we stopped at the bakery for sommat to eat between the start of Watch and dinner. All of a sudden they all moved off at once. Not a smart move for Rats.

I nodded to Kayly, and we split up to follow the two groups that had formed. I stopped and asked another pair of Dogs, Ersken and Birch, and their Puppy, Elaine, to help us trail the Rats. Birch and Elaine went after Kayly, Ersken stayed with me. We followed them all the way to the inn Rosto built – The Dancing Dove.

That made me mad. Ambushing knights and Dogs from the inn where the Court of the Rogue was set up? That would give them the appearance of being under the Rogue's orders – and I know that Aniki would never let them do that if she knew.

She's been the Rogue ever since Rosto's been gone, and she keeps a firm hand on her Rats. If they don't do as she tells 'em the first time, then she warns 'em. Second time, she gets 'em stuck in the cages. If they disobey her a third time, they'd best pray that she's in a merciful mood, else they're not likely to live much longer.

They stopped in front of the inn, and stood there. Ersken and I stayed hidden while we watched them. Then I saw the other group coming from the other direction. A moment later, I saw Birch and Elaine, Kayly was on the rooftop - her favorite spot for surveillance.

I dislike it when she does that – particularly since she was crouching right above my room, this time.

It was then that the group of knights and Dogs turned onto the street. I could see the hungry glimmer in the eyes of the nearest Rats. They were eager, they wanted blood. None of the group noticed – the Dogs were Fourth Watch, and drunk, by the look of it.

The knights I didn't know about, they were a group I'd never seen before in the Lower City. Wonderful, I have a bunch of jinglenobs to protect, I thought.

The first rat lashed out at one of the knights in passing. That was when the fighting started. I heard a dull thud nearby, and I glanced back to see my partner crouched on the ground.

We nodded to each other, and sprang. The others followed our lead as we threw ourselves into the fray. I gave the first Rat that came at me a nap tap, just as Goodwin had taught me, years ago. He would feel where my baton hit when he woke in the cages the next morning.

Another came at me with a sword in hand. He feinted left, and tried to stab my right side. I blocked his blow with my baton, wincing when I saw a chunk of the wood fly when the blade bit into the wood. He tried to jerk his sword out of the wood and away so that he could make another attack, but I twisted my baton, and jerked back toward my body. His sword clattered to the ground. He looked at me with wide eyes.

"Don't mess with the Elkhound," I said, a hard look on my face. He ran. I heard a grunt behind me. I whirled to see another Rat, this one had gotten himself tangled in a pile of rope. He looked at me with wide eyes.

I disarmed him, and hit him in the back of the head. His eyes rolled up, and he collapsed. A few more Rats and the fight was mostly done. With five Evening Watch Dogs, the knights and the Forth Watch Dogs (even if the bugnobs were drunk), they were outnumbered, and they knew it. They surrendered.

So we dragged them back to the kennel. The Cage Dogs were pleased to have some Rats to harass. It seems that they like that…I never want to be a Cage Dog – they get violent real quick, and are known for it.

More Rats die in the cages in a week than all of the diggers Crookshank murdered back when I was called the Terrier, when I was a Puppy.

The rest of the night was relatively quiet – a real rarity. Evening Watch is the busiest Watch in the Lower City, but it's been lighter in the last few months. I think Aniki's really tightened her grip.

Things were better when Rosto was the Rogue, then things went back to before when he disappeared, then Aniki took the throne from the squabbling district chiefs.

Honestly, I think I'm doing more thinking these days, and actually writing it down. I didn't put a lick of events in my entry from before Watch. I suppose I have an excuse, considering the day it is, but I wonder if that's a good thing.

I'd best be getting to bed now. I have reports to help Goodwin with in the morning, and my hand is starting to ache from too much writing today.


	2. Thoughts

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee of the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 4, 267

Written after baton practice

Ma gave me this journal this morning before she left to help Sergeant Goodwin. She says it's best to practice reports before I'm a proper Dog, so as I can do it proper when I am. She said I had best get good at describing the scene, and what goes on. I can use my memory exercises for this. That's what our teachers drilled into us with Puppy classes.

I'll start by describing myself. I have about five feet and nine and a half inches of height. Most of that height is covered in tight muscle. I've worked hard to get it that way, with Ma, Sergeant Goodwin in classes, and on my own.

My features are sharp and I've my ma's eyes in all but color. Hers are a light mix of blue-gray, mine are dark, most would say black. There's a light circle of golden flecks on the outside rim, but there's no other light color. I can't even see any more if I'm right next to the mirror, my eyes are so dark. I guess it comes from my da, but I don't know. I never knew him. My cheekbones are high, and stand out even more sharply than the rest of my features.

My hair's blond, very light, but not white-blond. I keep it short, I hate when it gets in my way. The farthest I've let it grow in years was above my earlobes, the right of which is pierced with a silver hoop, with a dog-head charm dangling from it.

I've seen lighter hair on a Scanran, but it makes me wonder if my da was Scanran. Ma's never told me that either. She almost never says a word about him. I don't think she's gotten over him. The only thing she told me was that he's been gone since before I was born.

She wears the ring he gave her all the time – it's simply a golden band. I've never seen her without it. I've wondered for years who Da was, or is. Ma also never told me if he's dead or not. Mayhap she doesn't know herself.

I don't know whether to hate that cove or not. If he causes Ma this much pain, should I hate him? She loved him, from what she said, and he her. I hate that he's gone, that I never knew him. I wish I had. I wish I knew that he was proud of me. I wonder if he even knew about me.

Enough about this. I've such a hard time trying to stop ranting when I get started. I dislike that about myself. Only Ma has a talent for stopping me. I'm also a bit of a peacock, according to her. I like my looks, but I've never really thought I was vain. Ah, well, I suppose that can't be helped.

Not even my friend Elaine can stop me when I get started, unless she kicks me, that is. It's rather funny, actually. Elaine is a small mot, standing at maybe five feet and an inch tall. She has coppery brown hair, and gray eyes.

She's wanted to be a Dog her whole life, mainly acos of the stories they tell about Sergeant Goodwin and Ma, who're the best Dogs in the entire city of Corus. Elaine's sweet when we're not at the kennel we're assigned to – Jane Street Kennel. When we're there, she's all business.

Funny thing about Elaine, her younger sister, Ria, who's fourteen, and also a friend of mine, is a member of the Court of the Rogue. It's a bit odd how some families in the Lower City are split like that, with one sibling in the Dogs and another in the Rogue. It's mostly rare, but every once in a while, you run into people who have families like that.

I should probably write about my Watch now, and what happened before that. Me and my yearmates sat in the kennel, each of us waiting to find out which team of Dogs we were going to be partnered with. Most of the Evening Watch Dogs were there, Ma was sitting with Goodwin and Goodwin's partner, Mattes Tunstall, talking to them before Watch. They were Ma's Training Dogs, and they've remained close since then.

Most Dogs say that's a real rarity, since Goodwin's hard to get along with if she doesn't take a shine to you. Tunstall's as easygoing as Goodwin's not, mostly. I got to spend a good deal of time with them when I was little, so I know 'em pretty well.

Pairs were called in to talk to the Watch Commander, Tristan of Masbolle, and Goodwin called Puppies as the pairs came out, if they were to be assigned a Puppy. There're only two girls in my year, Elaine and another one, called Tylia, I think. Elaine was called early, when Corporal Ersken Westover and his partner, a Senior Dog called Birch, had come out from talking to the Watch Commander.

After a while, it was only me and a cove more 'an a year younger than my seventeen-and-a-half years. I don't know him well; actually, the only one who I know very well at all is Elaine. Asides, all the other Puppies're younger than me.

I started late acos at first I couldn't decide what I wanted to do – and the former Lord Provost's wife, Lady Teodorie, wanted to have me taught to be a servant. I didn't have much of a fancy for that, and I went to the Dogs. I enjoy this kind of work, just like Ma.

Right. Back to the Watch. So, it was down to me and the other cove, and there were about five or more pairs of Dogs yet to leave for Watch. I'd stopped paying attention for a while. They called the other cove before me.

 _Typical,_ I thought, _last again._ Half the time I'm picked last, but mostly that's acos I've a tendency to be just a smidge on the late side to things besides classes.

"Jewel and Prince." The two looked at Goodwin, the latter slightly shocked. They'd only ever had one Puppy, and she'd gotten killed on Beltane a few years ago.

Arina Jewel and Taylor Prince are some of the best Dogs in the Lower City, even so, they're not up to the caliber of Tunstall and Goodwin, or Ma and Kayly. Arina Jewel's been a Dog for ten years, and she's a good one at that.

She's a short mot, five feet tall on the mark, with light brown hair, a small nose, snapping green eyes, and the fullest lips you'll ever see. She's pretty, and half the coves in my year fancy her, though it's known that she married a couple of years ago, though she kept her maiden name.

Her partner is Taylor Prince, he's been with the Dogs for fifteen years in all, he's worked in the Lower City, partnered with Jewel for seven of those. He's a tall man – taller than Tunstall, who's six foot two – whose dark hair falls nearly to his shoulders – he keeps it pulled back in a horsetail most of the time. His eyes are brown. He's as vain as a peacock – more than Ma says I am - and everyone knows it. He's good at his job, but half the time, he's concerned that his hair is out of place, and doesn't pay attention.

Jewel led her partner into the Watch Commander's office, he didn't look all that happy. He was probably remembering their last Puppy. After a while, they came out again, Prince looking a bit annoyed with his lips pressed into a thin line.

Jewel nodded to me and motioned for me to follow them out the door. Once out, she spoke as we walked the street.

"You know the rules, Puppy Cooper. Speak when you're spoken to, stay out of the way, and get killed on your own time." She stopped and turned around, as did her partner, who crossed his arms over his chest. "Alright, you're to call me Rinny, or Guardswoman Jewel, when we're at Court." She nudged her partner, indicating that he was to speak up.

"Same for me as goes for Rinny, call me Tay, or Guardsman Prince, when we're at the Magistrate's Court. Got it?" I nodded.

"Yes, sir." I said. Without another word, Tay walked off. Rinny rolled her eyes.

"Don't take it personally, he's just a bit upset – he lost his sister yesterday, and he's not exactly thrilled that we got a Puppy. Come on." She turned and followed her partner then. I did as I was told and followed her and Tay down the street.

We stopped at a bakery booth a little ways down. Tay was already paying for whatever it was that he'd bought when Rinny and I got there. After he talked in a low voice to the person running the booth in voices too low for me to hear, he handed Rinny and me a pastry each. I ate mine as we walked, keeping an eye out for anything unusual.

All of a sudden, a cove whooshed past me and slammed into Rinny, sending both of them toppling. He rolled quickly and got to his feet, off again in an instant.

"Rat!" Someone called out from behind us. Tay and I glanced back. "He stole me wife's jewelry!" Tay nodded, and turned his gaze on me.

"Puppy, fetch." I was off in a heartbeat, eager for my first chase. I picked out the Rat among the other folk in the streets – he was the only one running. Keeping an eye on him, I lengthened my stride to catch up with him – he was fast, but I'm faster. I caught up with him at Mantel and Pullet, until he dashed down an alleyway between buildings.

I'm fast going in a straight line, but I don't do turns well, when I'm running. So, I tried to turn, ran into the wall, and started off again. He led me through a tavern, where about six or seven coves – probably friends of his – tried to punch me. I managed to avoid most of them, except for two. One hit me right in the eye, and the other managed to trip me up.

I went flying into a table where some Day Watch Dogs were eating. By the time I got up, the Rat was gone. I'd lost him. I was disgusted with myself. That was one of the oldest tricks in the book. Lead the Dog right through the drinking den where you've got friends, and have them try to hit him. I hate it when I get caught on old tricks like that – it's humiliating.

I got up, and brushed the dust off of myself, thankful that the black uniform of the Dogs made it hard to see most of the stuff that had gotten all over me. I brushed off what I could, and, while dodging a few more punches, walked out of the building with as much dignity as I could muster. That wasn't much, though.

After that I went back the way I'd come, looking for Rinny and Tay. They were close to where I'd left them. Rinny was back on her feet, but she had some nasty looking marks from where she'd hit the ground, and her breeches were ripped where she'd skidded on the stone. She was also holding onto Tay for support.

I wondered if she'd been injured worse than she looked to be. Tay raised an eyebrow at me when I got closer. My eye was throbbing, and I could just feel a nasty bruise forming where one of the coves' fists had hit me.

"And where's the Rat?" He asked expectantly.

"Got away. Led me all the way to Mantel and Pullet, turned an alleyway, and went straight into the Hen's Head. I'd nearly got him when a few friends of his started tryin' t' hit me. A couple of them got me, I ended up flyin' int' a table, and by the time I got up, he was gone." Tay didn't look all that happy, but he wasn't upset with me. It could've happened to anybody.

He sighed and we walked back to the kennel, with Rinny limping between us, unable to put any weight on her right leg. Thankfully, there was a healer at the kennel who was good with bones – it turned out that the impact had cracked her kneecap. She wasn't too happy, since she wanted to be out on Watch, not stuck with the healer, and her uniform was ripped.

When the healer finished, Rinny got up, wincing whenever she put her weight on her leg. I could see the great black and blue bruise forming on her knee. It wasn't pretty, with the scrapes visible, too. Quietly, she spoke with the healer, and sighed.

"I'm not to be on my feet very much for a couple of days, so let's head over and get the Happy Bags, and sommat to eat – I'm starved, and I can get off my knee while we eat." She limped over to the door before looking expectantly at me and Tay. "Come on, let's go." Tay and I exchanged a glance, and burst out laughing.

Even hurt, she was still eager to get back to work. We both got up and followed her limping stride down the street. By then it was very late, Watch was more than half over. We walked down to the Dancing Dove, where the Court of the Rogue is. I know the Rogue personally – she's like family to me, basically like an aunt – we live in the same lodgings, and she and Ma've been friends since Ma was a Puppy herself.

As long as you're not a Rat who's on her bad side, Aniki's usually nice. On the way, I saw Ma, and a bunch of other Dogs, all of whom I recognized, leading a group of Rats back to the kennel – probably to the cages.

When we got the Dancing Dove, it was actually rather quiet, but I'm guessing that the Rats that Ma was with had been causing trouble around there – having a Dog and Rat fight usually clears everyone off for a little while. We entered the building to find the usual jumble of rushers, doxies and other folk, some attached to the Rogue, others not.

Aniki was sitting on the Rogue's throne; she got up and came over to us when she saw me.

"Enjoying your first night as a Puppy, Jare?" She asked, using her nickname for me. I don't dislike the nickname, but I prefer if people use my whole first name. Rinny and Tay turned to look at me, both of them with their eyebrows raised. I felt myself flush instantly.

"You know the Rogue, Cooper?" Tay asked me. I nodded.

"Yeah. She and Ma and I all live across the street, and I've known Aniki since I was little," I said. Rinny pursed her lips.

"Why didn't you tell us that?" She asked me. I shrugged.

"I didn't think it was really that important. Aniki's practically family." Rinny nodded, her expression relaxing. Aniki grinned, her blue eyes glittering. She's a tall blond mot, and an expert swordswoman. She's helped me train with my baton on the side, and she says I'm pretty good.

Aniki smiled and gave me a quick hug before returning to her throne. Oddly enough, that was the last of the interesting things that happened at the Court. They say that it was an interesting affair when the last Rogue was still around.

Aniki took the throne from the squabbling district chiefs when the last Rogue disappeared. Before that she was the Queen of the Ladies of the Rogue, acos she was the best friend of the Rogue, back then.

His name was Rosto the Piper – he disappeared on his way to Court, and hasn't been seen since. Some reckon he was spirited away, or caught by the Provost. Nobody really knows.

Aniki won't talk about him at all – she misses him, obviously, but I know there's something she's hiding. There's sommat important that she's not telling me. I can see it on her eyes, when she looks at me sometimes.

After we'd taken the Happy Bag back to the kennel, we stopped at an inn called The Swan's Hideaway. I'd heard it was supposed to be good, but I'd never been there before. What I'd heard was true.

The place was pretty full, with a few Dogs here and there, both in and out of uniform. Tay spoke to one of the serving girls (still to curst low for me to hear), and handed over a silver noble. She led us to a back room, with a private table. Rinny sat down with a sigh of relief. Her knee must've been hurting her more than she showed.

Tay and I followed suit, sitting on either side of her. Since they'd been there before, they advised me on what they liked best. We didn't talk at all until our food got to the table.

"How's your knee, Rinny?" Tay asked. Rinny made a face.

"The scrape smarts, and where my kneecap was cracked aches, but it's not the worst I've ever had. The time tha' my cousin pushed me out o' the window at Uncle Nyler's house was worse." She paused, remembering that I was sitting there.

"My uncle's a retired Evenin' Watch Dog – his house is huge, and louder than a brawl at the Dancin' Dove – most of my cousins live there. My mother an' I never lived there, but we visited alot." She put a hand on her forehead, "I think I might go home after this, Tay, my head aches from where I hit the ground."

It was plain in her voice that she didn't feel well, some of her words were slurred in places. After that she went back to her story, telling me how she'd been visiting, and playing with her cousin, and the lad had pushed her out the second story window by accident. She'd come away from the incident with her left arm broken in two places, her shoulder and collarbone also broken, and a number of bad bruises, scrapes, and sprains.

"Well, you're definitely prone to falls, aren't you, Rinny," Tay laughed. Rinny glared at him, obviously far from amused. In a swift movement, she scooped a large spoonful of mashed potato from her place and flung it at Tay.

He was so surprised that he didn't have time to duck and it splattered all over his face. Some of it even flew into his hair.

"Rinny!" Tay yelped, jerking back in a way that made his chair fall over – with him in it. Rinny started giggling uncontrollably, and I found myself laughing, too. Tay was not happy. He let out a sting of curses, which just made us laugh all that much harder. He glared at Rinny, scraping some of the potatoes off of his face.

He flung that glob at Rinny, who ducked, her face bright red from laughing so hard. She squealed when he threw another glob at her and actually hit her. Then he grinned when she fell out of her chair and started laughing again.

After we were done, Rinny did indeed go home, but we helped her there – she was having a hard time walking on the tender limb. Her husband thanked us for helping her back, and assured us that she'd be back to normal in a few days, and likely back on Watch tomorrow.

Watch was almost over at that point, and Tay and I didn't find much else to do before we headed back to the kennel.

My hand is cramping from writing for so long. Ma'll probably be wondering why I'm late for lunch, too. I never miss a meal. She finds that rather funny, to be truthful.


	3. Mystery and Normality

From the journal of Rosto the Piper,  
King of the Rogue in Tortall,  
Somewhere in Scanra

June 28?, 252

I don't know how much longer I can hold out. I've been here for a long time – more than three years by my count. I don't know the exact date, but I think it's close to the end of June.

So, here I sit, alone in a cell with nothing but the clothes on my back, some ink, a quill, and this journal – the latter three which I managed to filch out from under the guard's noses when I managed to pick the lock one night.

They weren't happy with me when I got caught. I had bruises for weeks from the beating I got. These coves are nowhere near as bearable as the Dogs in Corus. Corus…Beka. She's probably devastated. I promised her that I'd be there when she needed me. Look how good a job I've done with that. I suppose this is the price of our love. Rogue and Dog are not meant to be together.

* * *

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 5, 267

After Watch

I like being a Dog. It's much more interesting than anything else I've done in the past, message running included. It's exhilarating, chasing after Rats – I see why Ma's stuck with the Dogs for so long. My class of Puppies has already seen one of the trainees assigned to the Lower City quit, and it's only the second day. It's almost saddening to see them go. We Puppies have worked so hard to get this far, and here some of them quit before they've even gotten through a week.

This morning I woke to find my window shutters open and pigeons sitting all over my room. I don't like pigeons. The bad part about it is that I have the Air Gift, like Ma does. She hears the pigeons, and can do other stuff. I don't really like birds in general, pigeons are better than most.

I got up and tried to shoo the birds from my room, but they wouldn't go. One of them bit my finger. A voice issued from the bird.

"It's dark. Mama, help me. It's dark!" A child's voice. Someone had killed a child, somewhere in Corus, and the poor thing's spirit wouldn't rest, now. Another pigeon hopped up to me, this time it was the voice of an older man.

"Came from behind, he did. I was jus' goin' to get the cat, and next thing I know, there's a knife at my throat. I didn't do nothin' wrong!" I bit my lip and shooed the bird out, closing the shutters behind the last bird.

I knew I should tell Ma about it, since she heard the pigeons, too, and she is the veteran Dog in the house. I pulled a clean pair of breeches and a clean shirt on before I slipped out of my room.

I walked down the hall to the next door, and knocked. "What?" Came the muffled response.

"Ma, the pigeons are talking again," I said to the door, knowing that she could hear me inside.

"Alright, Jarred. I'll be up in a minute, you can tell me then." I heard some muffled noises, as she got herself out of bed and changed her clothes.

After a moment, she opened her door. With her hairbrush in hand, she motioned for me to come in. She's an inch-and-a-half shorter than me, and she still seems to be taller than me. Ma brushed her hair while I told her about what I'd heard. She nodded when I was done.

"Some cracknob's dousing people in Corus again." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. I nodded.

"Wasn't the last time this happened, back when the Shadow Snake was stealin' children from their beds when you were a Puppy?" I asked. She nodded.

"Yes. The last time it's happened in Corus was back when Yates Noll was playin' the Shadow Snake." She looked thoughtful for a moment before she smiled. "I'll tell Goodwin about it later, after I do some sniffing around," she told me with a yawn before she kissed me on the cheek.

"Off you go." She shooed me out of the room as I have shooed the pigeons out of mine.

I ran down to the bakery where we usually buy our breakfast and purchased four fat apple fritters, and stopped by a few other places to collect a bit of sausage, a few oranges, and a few other odds and ends. We had a quiet breakfast with Aniki. Sometimes Kora or Ersken will join us, but not today.

After we finished eating, I went off in search of something to do while Ma and Aniki talked. I was walking down the street, wondering where my friends were when I heard my name.

"Jarred! Wait up!" I turned to see Elaine dodging through the crowds toward me. Her bronze-brown hair was pulled back into a tight braid, which was flying back in forth in rhythm with her stride. I stopped and moved off to the side to wait for her. After a moment, she had managed to work her way through the crowd so that she was standing near me.

"Jarred, did you hear that a couple of Shang warriors have come to town?" She asked. I shook my head.

"No. I hadn't, where did you hear that?" Elaine gave me a 'that-is-a-really-stupid-question-even-for-you-Jarred' look.

"Where I hear most everything – my little birdie of a sister told me." She laughed, her steely gray eyes sparkling.

She grinned mischievously at me, as she does when she has a plot running through her head.

"Why don't we go find Kalir, Lily, and Robbie?" She asked. Kalir and Lily are going to be leaving Corus in a week, since their mother died, their father wants to go back to his old home – at fief Goldenlake.

It had been a long time since we'd been able to spend any time with either of them, or Robbie, another of our close friends. Mainly that's because of the cold weather and us being busy with Puppy training.

The two of us walked down to Palace Way in Patten District to see if Kalir and Lily were at home. Lily's fifteen and Kalir's eighteen. They were there, when we arrived, but only just. Apparently, they had gone to see if Ria had gotten home at a descent time last night, only to find that she had been out later than usual, and was still asleep.

Lily blushed when she saw me. Everyone knows that she fancies me, though I don't return her affections. She's pretty enough, but I'm not interested for two reasons: I don't need anything to distract me from being a Dog, and I don't see her as anything more than a friend.

Lily and Kalir are very different in appearance. Lily's hair is golden blond with streaks close to the color of my hair, and she has bright blue eyes. She's about five feet and three inches, slender and delicate. Kalir has very dark brown hair and brown eyes. He's got about six feet to his name, and could be a Dog if he wanted to.

We'd been there for only a moment when Robbie came trotting up. Robbie's my best friend aside from Elaine. The three of us – me, Elaine, and Robbie – have been friends for years. Since I was five-and-a-half, Elaine was four and Robbie was five. He's about the same height as me, but he has light brown hair and blue-green eyes.

So, Robbie had just trotted up to us when Lily spoke. "Was your first night as a Puppy alright, Jarred?" She asked timidly. I nodded.

"It was. I got to chase a Rat…even if I didn't catch 'im." I turned my head slightly so that everyone could see the bruise under my eye. It stood out starkly against my pale skin. I had seen it this morning when I was getting ready for the day.

Lily gasped in horror when she saw the bruise, Elaine looked rather sympathetic and Kalir and Robbie congratulated me on how many colors it was – it was about seven, I think they said. It is a rather spectacular one, if I do say so myself.

After that we talked a bit before we started down to get something to eat at The Green Dragon, another inn that's similar to The Swan's Hideaway. We talked more, and enjoyed each other's company while we could, since we know that Lily and Kalir are leaving next week.

It was already mid-afternoon by the time Elaine and I realized that we were going to be late for baton practice if we didn't hurry. We said our goodbyes and I had to actually run back to my room in order to change, grab my baton, and get there on time. After the daily beating session with Goodwin (which is also known as baton practice, I might point out), we rested up for watch, grabbed a bite to eat, and waited. (It was one of those days when we had baton practice later in the day; acos there are sometimes things that got in the way of Goodwin having practice in the morning.)

Watch wasn't as interesting tonight, but we caught a bunch of foists and a couple of other Rats while we were out.

Tonight it was just me and Tay. Rinny's husband came in to let Goodwin know that Rinny had tripped and fallen down a flight of stairs when she was heading out before Watch. He said that the healer he'd taken her to had told him that she had a concussion and needed to stay in bed for several days. So it'll be just me and Tay for the next few days.

Goodwin had a word with Tay – again, too low for me to hear what she said. That's really starting to get on my nerves. He nodded before he walked over to me.

"Come on. We're wandering the streets tonight." He walked off without another word, obviously expecting me to follow.

I, unlike the night before, caught up with him fairly quickly. Tonight he didn't stop to get anything to eat. Without Rinny, he was all business…except when he stopped to talk to a shopkeeper who was eyeing him. I rolled my eyes, and waited for him to get done. I waited for more than three hours, from what I could tell. Watch was almost half over by the time he was done. And apparently, he had no concept of the time that had gone by.

"What?" He asked me when we were finally walking away.

"Watch is nearly half over, and you've done nothing but talk with that woman." His mouth formed an _O_ when I said that. I honestly don't think that cove has the least but of a sense of time. I was tempted to ask him why he wasn't on Day or Night Watch, but didn't. I didn't really want to get on Tay's nerves on my second day as a Puppy.

After that we walked through the Nightmarket, doing just a passing sweep. We caught a total of eight foists, a cove who'd killed someone, and a few other Rats up to no good. I'd go into detail more, but my candle is getting low, and I don't know where the new ones that me and Ma have are. Dinner was at The Swan's Hideaway again, but in the main room this time. After that, Watch was practically over, and we headed back to the kennel for muster.

Now, my hand is starting to cramp, and my candle is guttering. Wonderful.


	4. Annoyance

From the journal of Jarred Cooper  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 18, 267

After lunch

I just now got my journal back, and I am not pleased. Admittedly, I was ill from the 6th to the 11th, but I went looking for my journal about a week ago, and I couldn't find it. It turns out that Ria had 'borrowed' it, though she was intending it to be a prank instead of sommat to drive me frantic, trying to find this book.

She didn't mean any harm, as far as I can tell. She is the resident Rat-gixie in Elaine's family, and is here visiting me and Ma a lot, when she can. Ria's sweet, but she doesn't think her pranks all the way through.

I spent nearly a whole day looking for my journal, only to be unable to find it until she handed it over yesterday after I was done with my Watch. At that point, I was too tired to care.

Kalir and Lily left about a week ago, on the last day I was ill. I have to say, I miss them. I even miss Lily's constant blushing when she was around me. It's unlikely that I'll see them again for a long time, if ever again.

I'm a Dog, I probably won't travel too much unless it's for a case or sommat like that. They probably won't leave Goldenlake again, either. It's just a fact of life that we're going to have to face.

Anyway, there is sommat about being a Dog that gets on my nerves. In the last week or so, everyone's started comparing me to Ma. Every time I go into Jane Street Kennel, I hear sommat about my ma bein' the Terrier, Bloodhound, and Elkhound, and me following her footsteps. They don't get that I ain't Ma.

She may be all of those things, and I love her, but I'm not her. I'm proud of who she is. She's a gifted person, and an amazing Dog, but that doesn't mean that I'm just like her. I'm an entirely different person. Only my Dogs, Goodwin, Tunstall, Kayly, and Ma seem to understand that. But then, they're the ones who actually know me.

* * *

After Watch

Now that Watch is over, I'll describe my day. It was good, despite my bad mood. Actually, it was better than some of the days I've had this last week.

Rinny rejoined the team while I was ill, on the 9th. Tay had to be put with another team for those three days when both Rinny and I were both stuck in bed. He was actually glad to see me when I came in for Watch that afternoon.

Watch was rather bland today, except for the end. Rinny, Tay, and I walked down to the Swan's Hideaway. (I think that's probably their favorite inn at this point) Dinner was quiet, and went like this:

We sat down at one of the private tables, ordered, and sat there. Rinny looked sad, but she hadn't said what was wrong, nor had she spoken a word in the whole time I'd seen her today. Once our food was there, we ate in silence. I could see tears in her eyes.

"Rinny, what's wrong?" I asked. Rinny looked up at me, her green eyes dark with emotion. There were dark circles under them that I hadn't seen before. "My cat died today, and I may have to quit the Dogs acos of some of the others – not the Sarge, Tunstall, your Ma, Harwell, or Westover, but 'em 'at the Watch Commander listens to – don't think I'm a Good Dog. I couldn't bear bein' dismissed. The Dogs are my life, Jare. It's all I've ever wanted," Rinny looked like she was about to burst into tears. (I don't mind if she calls me my Aniki's nickname, I'm starting to get used to it now, at least.) I glanced at Tay, and he looked at me sadly.

"Rinny's the best partner I've ever had. I went through three others before I got transferred and paired with her," he said honestly. He ran a hand through his dark hair, releasing it from its horsetail, then smoothing it back again and retying it.

"I'd really hate to see Rinny have to leave, but none of them that want her gone will listen unless we get a big case soon, and solve it. Elsewise, they'll never let her stay. Both me and Rinny could transfer from Jane Street, but it'd be pointless. We'd have to move from the Lower City, and we'd have to leave you behind. You're the best Puppy either of us've ever had, and the best of the litter. It'd be a bad thing for that to happen, but, I have to say, I'll leave the Dogs, too, if Rinny does. There're very few Dogs in the Lower City that actually like me, and even fewer in the other Watch districts. It's Rinny as my partner, or nothing."

That was a shock to me, to hear that from my Dogs, more so acos Rinny and Tay are the best pair after Tunstall and Goodwin, and Ma and Kayly. How could anyone not like Rinny? She's so nice, and she is a Good Dog…

After that, we talked very little, all of us thinking, and upset. Neither Tay nor I want Rinny to leave. Tay would resign and I'd be reassigned to other Dogs. Even worse is that the only free pair in the Lower City, aside from Goodwin and Tunstall, who don't take Puppies anymore, are Ma and Kayly. They can't put me with them for training acos Ma is, well, Ma. I'm her son, and that sort of goes against the rules, putting me with her.

Once we were done eating, Tay paid, and we started off. First order of duty was to catch a foist who picked a noble's pocket, which I had to do. The man slipped past Tay and Rinny before the noble had even called out. Then the call of 'thief!' filled the air. Tay looked at me, with the same look in his eyes that he'd had on my first night. "Puppy, fetch."

Off I was again, this time, I actually caught up with the cove fairly quickly. He tried to slip into a tavern, but I tripped him, and he went flying into a wall. At that point, my baton was in my hand already. I squatted down by his head, and looked into his brown eyes with a cold look on my face.

"In the king's name. You're under arrest." I held him down while my Dogs picked their way through the crowd, using my rawhide cords to tie his hands and ankles while I waited. When Tay got through, a grin spread over his face.

"Good job, Cooper," He said. Rinny grinned at me, too. I got to my feet, pulling the foist with me. Tay hooked his hand through the cords and led the cove off. Rinny and I walked on, catching a few minnows and others who weren't worth hobbling. Tay rejoined us after he took the foist back to the kennel. We caught a few others, none of which are really worth mentioning.

The really interesting part was when we were heading back to the kennel before Watch ended. We were minding our own business, walking in through the Cesspool when something heavy hit me from behind, knocking me over. That in itself was enough to make me mad, since I only had one uniform (Ma got me another one after we got back, apparently remembering an incident from her Puppy year.) at the time. I pushed whatever it was off of my back, got up, and brushed myself off as best I could. That wasn't very well, I have to say.

I looked down to see a fuzzy, muck-covered brown puppy. That was just ironic. The puppy wagged its tail at me, bronze eyes looking up at me adoringly. I picked up the puppy, and took a closer look. I guessed that it was about six weeks old, female, and looked to be an orphan, judging from the muck and the lack of a collar.

I turned to Rinny and Tay, the latter of whom had been snickering under his breath. Turning the puppy slightly, I made sure that they both got a glimpse of the oddly colored eyes. Tay swore, and Rinny just stared. Apparently bronze is a more than just odd in terms of dog eyes. I rather like the puppy, which followed me all the way back to the kennel, thwarting my attempts to find a different home for her. We mustered out and Ma and I walked home separately, me thinking about the puppy.

I remember her old cat, Pounce, who sleeps most of the time now, when he was young. He's an unusual cat, to say the least, in terms of both appearance and age. He's all black and has eyes of dark violet.

I've always liked puppies, thought I've never had one before now.

It seems that I have a new friend, who has now had a bath and has been brushed. She's even cuter under all those layers of muck and grime. She's asleep on my pillow right now, which is going to have to change in a few moments. All that's left is for me to name her…


	5. Piper and Shang

From the journal of Jarred Cooper  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 19, 267

After lunch

My puppy now has a name. I don't know why I like the name so much, but it seems to fit. Her name is Piper. I think it's a pretty name for her, and she makes the funniest noises when she's playing or when she's happy – they sound like little whistles. She really is a sweet puppy.

After I'd finished writing in my journal last night, she woke up, and started whining and pawing at me. I took her down to the kitchen. No one else was back yet. I know that Ma had some things to do before she came in from Watch, and Aniki's always out late, being the Rogue. I took Piper, who was then unnamed at that point, and went to find some food for her. I fed her little bits leftover from breakfast. She started making these cute little squeaking whistle sounds as I rummaged around for more leftovers. It sounded almost like pipes, which is where I got her name. I held out a piece of leftover sausage to entice her.

"Hello, little pup," I said, grinning when she took the food. "How do you like the name Piper?" She let out a happy whistle-bark, wagging her tail. "Wonderful," I said to no one in particular.

"Jarred, who're you talkin' to, son?" Ma entered the kitchen as I fed my puppy a bit of spiced fritter. I looked up at her from my position on the floor. She was still in her Dog-gear, so she must have just gotten back when she heard me in the kitchen. "Ah, there's a dog on the floor, son."

I grinned at her. "Ma, I'd like you to meet the sweet little beastie that's refused to make her home elsewhere. I nudged the little dog toward my mother, and she looked into the puppy's brilliant bronze eyes. "Ma, meet Piper."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, her jaw dropped. Her breath quickened, while her eyes widened. "W-what did you name her?"

She was stuttering, something I'd never seen her do. I could see flashes of pain spring up in her ethereal ghost-blue eyes. The smile disappeared from my face as I watched her. Something about Piper was causing her this hurt.

"Don't you like it, Ma? Listen, when she's happy, she makes a cute little whistle sound, just like a pipe." I rubbed Piper's belly, and she gave that happy little whistle-yip.

Ma took a step back, holding up her hands as if to ward off the puppy, and shaking her head. "No." She backed up a little more when Piper got up and padded toward her with her little tail wagging. "No, I haven't listened to a pipe since…" She turned around and fled the kitchen then.

"MA?" I called after her. I waited a few moments, hoping that she would reappear. When she didn't, I looked at Piper. "What'd I do, girl? Why's Ma so upset?"

I picked up my puppy and ran up the stairs after her. She had locked her door, and she'd recently replaced the lock, since I'd figured out how to get it open years ago, so I couldn't open it without having a lockpick, which I can't use it as it is. Inside, I could hear her crying. The sounds were soft, heartbreaking sobs that almost made me cry just listening to them. "Ma?" I called through the door. When there was no response, I continued. "I'm sorry, Ma. Piper and I didn't mean to make you cry. We're sorry, Ma, really." Piper whined in agreement, pawing at the door.

The sobbing relented for a moment. "No, Jarred, it wasn't you. The Piper always made me cry." That was the last I got out of her. She hasn't spoken since, and she wouldn't open the door. And she won't even look at Piper. It's not Piper's fault what her name is.."

At the moment, said puppy is running around the room like a wild dog. It would be adorable, but she's knocking everything over, and I have to clean it up.

* * *

After Watch

Tonight's Watch was actually pretty exciting. The interesting parts started out when we were walking down the street toward the Nightmarket a few hours before we ate. As we turned a corner, Piper came bounding up to us, her new collar jingling.

I know I locked her in my room before I left, so I was confused. At that, I still am. She bounced up to the three of us, her little tail wagging so hard that her whole body was wagging. It was an adorable sight, one that got Rinny giggling. Piper tried to jump up on Rinny's leg, but found that she was too small.

She turned those bronze eyes of hers on my training Dog. Rinny grinned and picked her up, cooing at my puppy. Piper knows how to milk it. Tay glanced at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Cooper, what is your dog doing here?" He asked. He was not amused. I gulped.

"I have no idea. She was locked in my room when I left," I said. I just know that my eyes must have been huge at that point, acos Tay started laughing. I frowned. Tay has such an odd sense of humor sometimes…

He scratched Piper on the head and started moving again. Rinny carried my puppy until we stopped at a shop where I could get some thin rope for a leash.

The shopkeeper and I haggled for a few moments while Piper romped a few feet away with Rinny. The rope I bought was a little long, but I didn't think that was a problem. Using a knot that Ma had taught me a few years ago, I tied the cord onto the leash. I wasn't going to have time to take her back to my room, so I had to make do with the makeshift lead. We walked on after that, while Piper strained at the leash, frolicking and exploring.

At one point while we were walking, Piper started running around me, wrapping her leash around me legs until I tripped. With the cord tight around my ankles, I promptly fell over and almost hit someone.

Now I know how people feel when they get hobbled. It's not a good feeling. The mot who I almost fell over turned, as did her companion. I glared at my puppy, who was happily wagging her tail, looking very pleased with herself.

I untangled the leash from my legs and got to my feet, brushing myself off. With that done, I glanced at the two people who were watching me.

The mot was of average height, five feet five inches by my guess. She had silky black hair that fell loosely to her shoulders. Her eyes were a grey-brown color and had a hint of almond shaping. Her skin was pale, but not as pale as mine. She was slender, but muscles were visible beneath her loose cotton shirt and breeches. She looked like she was about twenty-nine. I think she's part Yamani and part Scanran.

Her companion was a cove who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. I'm not so good at guessing coves' ages. He had dark blond hair and laughter-filled hazel eyes. He looked to be more muscled than the mot.

She smiled at me. "Are you alright?" She asked. I nodded. Her eyes flicked to Rinny and Tay who she nodded to. "Good. That looked like a nasty fall." Laughter that sounded like bells issued from her throat. "And this is the little creature who was responsible for that fall, isn't it. You're a sweetie," she said as Piper danced around her. She picked up the little beast, her eyes glittering.

"I'm Destiny Eastbrook, by the way," she said with a smile. Piper seemed to like her, and had started licking her face. "I'm the Shang Wolf." Rinny and Tay exchanged glances while the Shang warrior's companion moved slightly. He stepped forward, closer to her with a few steps that seemed to be perfectly balanced. He nodded to Rinny and Tay in turn, then me.

"And I'm the Shang Leopard, Valin Halcyon," he said. He extended his hand to Tay. "And who might you three be?" He asked, directing his question to Tay.

"I'm Guardsman Taylor Prince of the Provost's Guard. This is my partner, Guardswoman Arina Jewel, and our trainee, Jarred Cooper," he said. The Leopard nodded, seeming to imprint our names and faces in his mind.

"And who's this adorable puppy?" The Wolf spoke up, not directing her question to anyone in particular.

I shifted, looking at my puppy for a second. "Her name is Piper. She's sort of my familiar, I guess." This caught the mot's attention.

"You're a mage?" She asked, looking up at me. I nodded.

"Yes. I have the Air Gift," I said, "It's not a normal type of the Gift. It's usually troublesome." I shut my mouth then, rather than continue. The Air Gift is far from normal. Most people have something like healing, a general Gift, battle magic, or sommat like that.

Me and Ma are the only ones in the whole city of Corus that have the Air Gift. She got it from her Da, she said. She said that she didn't like it much until she was a Dog, when she found it useful to be able to use it for getting things out of the pigeons that normal folk never would have thought of. I will admit that it is rather useful, but hearing dead people go on about how they were killed is very far from the things I like to do.

She nodded, and scratched Piper under the chin for a moment before she handed my puppy back to me. "Valin and I should probably let you get on with your Watch. Maybe we'll see you around." And with that, they walked off.

Rinny and Tay exchanged glances again. Rinny sighed and started off again. We continued on with our Watch as usual, well, as much as we could with Piper. It was almost a relief when we were done at the Nightmarket.

After that, we went to The Brass Hourglass for dinner instead of The Swan's Hideaway. The food wasn't quiet as good, but it was good all the same. After that we walked back to the kennel.

Once we were there, Piper promptly went to sleep in my arms. She really tired herself out running around during Watch. I wonder if I can actually keep her in my room tomorrow…


	6. And So It Begins

From the journal of Jarred Cooper  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 20, 267

After Watch

My Watches are never normal. Ever, ever, ever. Last night was interesting, but tonight was just bad. On the plus side, if we – me and my Dogs, that is – solve this case, Rinny won't have to leave.

It was our night to just wander the streets, with Piper, again. She managed to get out of my room again. I still don't know how she gets out. The door was still locked, and the shutters were closed. I searched the entire room this morning, and there's no way she could have gotten out. And yet, she did. I wonder if I'm ever going to figure her out…

After Piper caught up to us, and I tied the leash that I had bought her earlier onto her collar, we simply walked. A few foists, some minnows, and a few other things happened, but I won't go into that, since something ten times more important happened right before we were going to have dinner. We'd been walking for more than six hours by then, and we were heading to The Swan's Hideaway for dinner when it happened. Tay had stopped to talk to one of his birdies and Rinny and I were standing a block or so from the inn. All of a sudden a pigeon landed on my head, digging its small, sharp talons into my scalp. I couldn't help letting out a small yelp. Rinny looked at me, and her eyes widened when she saw the bird. She started giggling hysterically within seconds of that.

"Jarred, there's a bird on your head!" She squealed through the laughter. I narrowed my eyes, giving her a displeased look. I hate it when people laugh at me, and she knows it.

"I am aware of that," I said. Then I reached up and plucked the bird from its perch. It was one that I'd rather enigmatically named Spots when I was little. The bird struggled in my grip, trying to free its wings so that it could get away. While it did so, a deep voice issued from the bird.

"Who would attack a noble?" The voice demanded. "Why, I wasn't even dressed as a noble, and still they killed me! What's a man to do…You go out to the Lower City to have a drink, and you never come home…" I frowned at the bird. If it was a noble who'd been killed, we needed to find out who it had been and at least try to figure it out.

By then, Rinny was giving me an odd look, obviously wondering why I was still holding the bird. Up until that point, I hadn't told either her or Tay about my magic. I let it go, and turned to her.

"I didn't tell you or Tay the full extent of my magic before acos I don't like it, so I'll start at the beginning. I have the Air Gift, from my Ma. I can hear the spirits of them that's been murdered, or those that aren't at peace. There are other attributes, but I won't bother explaining them right now. Someone's doused a noble cove in the Lower City. That's why I was looking at the pigeon. The spirit was talking to me, like they do with Ma. It's partially useful sometimes, but others, it's just irritating. This cove's in the Lower City, not far from here, I think, since the pigeon came straight to me. Usually they just come and wake me or Ma up in the morning and all try to talk at once," I said. Rinny nodded, taking all of that in.

Right then, Tay rejoined us. He glanced at Rinny, who had an odd look on her face. "What's wrong now?" He asked her, hooking his thumbs through his belt.

"You remember what I said about Beka Cooper having the Air Gift, that she could hear the dead riding on her pigeons?" She asked. Tay nodded. "Jarred's got the Air Gift, too. And a noble's been doused. We need to find him, and catch whoever did it." Tay's eyes widened slightly and his jaw dropped about two inches. He glanced at me, then back at Rinny. She shrugged, "We'd best start looking. Come on." With that, she walked off, leaving us trailing behind her. We weren't too far along before Piper started acting weird. She was tugging against the leash, trying to go the other way. Tay gave me a look and I picked the puppy up. She was quiet for a few more minutes, then she started whimpering and squirming in my arms. The way she was frantically clawing at me to get away told me that something was wrong.

I was right. Not too far away, in one of the darker alleyways, we found the noble who'd been killed. His throat was slit, and all valuables were gone. I'm not going to go into detail about the next hour-and-a-half or so, since it was just me running back to the kennel to get some help, dumping Piper back into my room, and heading back to Tay and Rinny.

We let the Cage Dogs, who'd been sent specifically for that purpose, take care of it. We were likely that we would be the ones getting the case, as it was, since we were the ones who discovered it. We and headed back to the kennel right after that. I'd heard one of the other Dogs we met say something about Goodwin going in early acos she'd heard about what we'd found, and had sent a messenger to the Lord Provost. He was said to be coming down to the kennel acos of that.

When we got there, we found just that. Goodwin was talking to the Lord Provost, Devon of King's Reach. He's not a tall cove, being at least three inches shorter than me. He has nearly black hair and green-hazel eyes. He has a mage's air of power around him. He is actually a mage, with quiet a bit of power, so that's natural.

Goodwin motioned for the three of us to come over to where she and the Provost were. "Collin told me that you found a noble dead in the City," she said. "And I just heard from Beka. She identified the noble in question. He was Sir Kindan of Haryse, Lord Gershom's eldest son."

Her words were met with silence. The Lord Provost watched us with a frown on his face. "Kindan was a noble, therefore his murder must be investigated. There are no suspects as of yet. You two," he indicated Rinny and Tay, "are assigned to this case. You'll be working with Cooper and Harwell, since they're the only other free pair at the moment. If you find anything of importance, make sure to let me know." He looked sad when he said this.

It took me a second to realize it, but I had met Devon of King's Reach before, before he was Lord Provost. Ma and I used to go to the Lord Provost's house often when Lord Gershom had held that post. Lord Devon had been a friend of Sir Kindan's, a very good friend. That was why he was sad about Kindan's death.

Tay and Rinny nodded. Lord Devon left after talking with them (in another room, without me!) and Goodwin. I about fell asleep waiting for them, and by the time they were done, Watch was a few minutes from being over. All we had to do was wait for everyone else to get back. I was dog-tired when we left, and I'm even more tired now, as it's taken me so long to write this out. And I just realized sommat. I didn't get dinner. Well, honestly, I'm too tired to haul myself downstairs to the kitchens. I'm off to bed.


	7. A Change in the Winds

From the Journal of Rosto the Piper  
King of the Rogue in Tortall  
Somewhere in Scanra

September 7?, 256

I don't think I even have words to describe what it feels like to be me today. The only good thing that's come out of the day is that I'm clean for the first time in years. That is just about the _only_ good thing that came out of today. Over seven years stuck in a cell, and I've gotten one bath in that whole time.

The part of it that bothers me the most is that I saw my reflection in a small mirror, after I was clean. Frown lines creased the skin around my eyes; while dark circles had formed under my eyes, making my pale skin sallow and pallid in color. The white skin of my numerous scars was even paler – they stood out even more against my skin, taking away from the look they had once lent to me. My hair was what startled me the most. Strands of white and gray threaded the white-blond horsetail that had once been my greatest vanity. All of those vanities are gone: the naturally pale skin, the white-blond hair, the dashing scars. The only thing that remained of my old self and of my old life, were the eyes. Beka said always said that she loved my eyes, the color so opposite of hers. They were night-black and twinkling with mischief once. Gone are those days. Gone are the days when I was the Rogue. Gone are the days when I was content, happy even. All that I had left of those days were my eyes, but they were not the same. Even I could see that. The mischief was gone, the spark, gone out. They were not the same.

I no longer have any of that life left. I feel as though decades have gone by, not just years. I'm thirty-two, and I feel…old…

This is torture. It will never end. Despair has a tight hold on me. There are but two things I yearn for: Beka, and the final calm of the Peaceful Realms. I fear that the Peaceful Realms will come before I ever see Beka again. Mithros, watch over her. I will never get out. I can only hope that she's alive and well. Take care my Beka, please, take care of yourself…

* * *

From the journal of Arina Jewel  
Provost's Guardswoman  
Resident of Stuvek Street,  
The Lower City, Corus

April 20, 267

Recorded after Watch

Oy, what a day! Today was full of so many things, I have to really think about it if I want to remember where to start.

Basically, I have a chance. If this case is solved, then I won't have to leave the Dogs. I don't want to leave, anyway, but to be dismissed from the work that you always wanted is just too hard. I wanted to be a Dog my whole life, and if I have to leave…well, I'm not going to think about that now. I need to focus on the case, not get wrapped up in my own worries…

What happened was that a noble was murdered in the Lower City. I'll start on the rest of today before I start about that.

I woke this morning to the smell of warm cinnamon rolls cooking over the fire. The smell was absolutely delectable, and not just because they're my favorites. It's not normal for Kai to be up before me, either. He's just one of those people who sleeps like a log once he's asleep – I usually have to dump water on him, or something, to wake him up. That's what I get for marrying an overactive blacksmith. He's up half the night and won't wake up in the morning when I want him to get up.

I glanced out the window to see that the sun was already high in the sky. It was late, particularly for me. I knew I was late to get up, but I didn't know I was that late – I would have thought that Kai would have woken me if it got to be too late. Apparently, the thought hadn't crossed his mind, as I found out when I went downstairs. When I got to the bottom of the steps, I suddenly found myself pitching forward and hit the ground. The floor and I are good friends, at this point. I glanced back to see what I'd fallen over this time. Propping my hand under my chin, I glanced up at my husband, who was standing at the fire. "Lose your new tool rack, Kai?" I asked, still on the floor.

He looked up from the flames and instantly flushed. "Sorry, sweet. I got distracted….again…" He offered an apologetic smile, and came over to help me up. "I thought I put it over with the old one…" He trailed off, thinking. While he did so, he assisted me in getting up, and moved the tool rack that I'd tripped over.

We're a funny pair, I have to say. He forgets where he puts things half the time, and I find them by tripping over them because I'm not watching where I'm going. "Breakfast's on the fire, Rin," he told me. I moved closer to the hearth to see what he'd put on the fire for breakfast. I was right, two medium sized cinnamon rolls sat on the edge of a warming plate. The sugary glaze was warm and sticky, just the way I like it.

By the time I was finished, all of the things that I could possibly trip over, except for the chairs, the table, and such, had been moved. That's how things usually go – I trip over something, then everything else gets moved out of the way so that I can't fall over it anymore. I glanced at the workshop part of the house, where Kai does all of his work. "I was just thinking," I started, watching the fire for a moment. Kai looked up from organizing his tools and some of the papers that littered the tables. "Mayhap we should invite Tay and Cooper for breakfast sometime, since we can't rightly have dinner with them, acos of Watch. Besides, you haven't met Jarred yet."

Kai nodded thoughtfully. "I don't see why not, but you might want to wait a few days. I have some big projects that I need t' start today, and they're goin' t' take a few days to get done, at the least." I nodded in response, watching the fire for a little while more.

I looked up when there was a big crash from the other side of the room, where Kai was. He was steadying himself against a table behind him, glaring at what lay on the worktable in front of him. All of the tools that had been neatly arranged on the wall had fallen off, and now lay in a pile on the flat surface. He made a noise of disgust and walked away from things that were irritating him.

I stood and went back upstairs to get ready for the rest of the day. I had a few things to do before Watch, and a couple of letters to write, and it was already almost twelve. I chose to wear a tunic of green with brown leggings and my brown boots. Then I walked back downstairs to see if things were any better for Kai. He was still glaring at the tools, with the addition of muttering under his breath, but he was putting them back where they belonged. I grinned at him when he looked up. This happens all too often for his liking.

After that, I settled down to write a few letters, one to my brother, and a few to several of my friends scattered about Tortall. Not all that interesting, to be honest.

Once that was done, I wandered down to the kennel to watch Goodwin work with (torture, more like) the Puppies in baton training. I am so glad that I don't have to do that anymore. I had bruises almost every day for the first year or so because Ahuda or Goodwin was too fast for me to catch.

It's rather interesting to watch how many of the trainees end up sitting on the dirt because they're not fast enough. Jarred's the best of the Puppies – he only landed in the dirt twice – even some of the second and third year Dogs get beaten more than that.

I left the kennel right after they ended baton practice – I had errands to do before I headed back home. The errands were boring, too. I had to pick up a few things, such as some fruit for breakfast tomorrow and a new sap – my old one was 'borrowed' by one of my cousins and thrown into the Olorun. I hate my cousins sometimes…

All that was really left for me to do at that point was change for Watch. Kai was working when I returned, as usual. I put everything I'd picked up away, except for the sap, since I needed it. I slipped upstairs and changed into my Dog uniform, hung my baton and sap from my belt, and made sure I had a dagger on hand, just in case. I've lost both my baton and my sap in a skirmish before…that's when you run, or pull out the dagger.

After that, I slipped back downstairs and kissed Kai on the cheek. "I'll be back after Watch," I said. Kai responded with a wicked grin.

"Don't get yourself hurt tonight, Rin. You be careful on your Watch, alright?" I nodded before I headed to the door.

Tay was already at the kennel when I got there, as usual. I still haven't figured out how he's always ahead of me, when I know he spends an hour making sure he's presentable to the world. He's such a vain cove, but he's my partner. If he wasn't concerned about his appearance, I'd be worried.

We only had to wait a few moments before Jarred came in with his mother. Beka looked rather sad, but I didn't have a chance to talk to her. She went straight to Goodwin and Tunstall. I think that they're the only Dogs that she talks to about her personal life. Not even her partner knows about what happened in Beka's past. All we really know, at this point, is that she lost her man before Jarred was born. We don't know exactly who he was, or what he was. I know that Goodwin and Tunstall know. They were her training Dogs, and are still some of her closest friends. They know more than they let on. I can't help but be curious about Beka. She was one of the reasons I wanted to be a Lower City Dog, and not a Unicorn or Palace District Dog.

Watch started out as it usually does, with the addition of Jarred's puppy, Piper, joining us. Jarred says that she gets out of his room even when he locks it, so it seems that we have a permanent little companion.

There honestly wasn't much interesting during Watch – a couple of foists, a few minnows and some other little problems, and we were pretty much done. It was after eleven by the time we started towards The Swan's Hideaway. Tay, being Tay, insisted on stopping to talk to one of his birdies before dinner. That cove is so irritating sometimes. He knows that I hate it when he delays my dinner.

Jarred and I were waiting for him when a bird landed on Jarred's head. It was a pigeon. Jarred yelped, catching my attention. I couldn't help myself. I started giggling uncontrollably. Who knows why, but Jarred looked extremely funny with a pigeon perched on his head.

"Jarred, there's a bird on your head!" I managed to blurt out through the peels of laughter. He narrowed his eyes and gave me a displeased look.

"I am aware of that," Was his response. He reached up and pulled the bird from its roost on his pale blond hair. It struggled in his grip, but he held it anyway. I was actually quiet surprised that he didn't let the bird go. I frowned as I watched him, wondering why he hadn't done that yet. He just stared at the bird, a frown creased his brow as he did. I watched him rather worriedly for another few moments before he let the pigeon fly. He glanced at me, hesitated, then spoke.

"I didn't tell you or Tay the full extent of my magic before acos I don't like it, so I'll start at the beginning. I have the Air Gift, from my Ma. I can hear the spirits of them that's been murdered, or those that aren't at peace. There are other attributes, but I won't bother explaining them right now. Someone's doused a noble cove in the Lower City. That's why I was looking at the pigeon. The spirit was talking to me, like they do with Ma. It's partially useful sometimes, but others, it's just irritating. This cove's in the Lower City, not far from here, I think, since the pigeon came straight to me. Usually they just come and wake me or Ma up in the morning and all try to talk at once." All I could do was nod. That was an important piece of information.

That was when Tay appeared at my side. He glanced at me, hooking his thumbs through his belt. "What's wrong now?" He asked.

Right then, Tay rejoined us. He glanced at Rinny, who had an odd look on her face. "What's wrong now?" He asked her, hooking his thumbs through his belt.

"You remember what I said about Beka Cooper having the Air Gift, that she could hear the dead riding on her pigeons?" He nodded. "Jarred's got the Air Gift, too. And a noble's been doused. We need to find him, and catch whoever did it." His expression turned to one of shock. Whether it was about the fact that Jarred had the Gift and didn't tell us, or it was about the noble, I don't know. He glanced at Jarred, then back at me. I shrugged when he gave me a slightly incredulous look.

"We'd best start looking. Come on." I started off without another word. It was an important case. Even if we weren't the ones to get it in the end, it needed to be taken care of. We hadn't walked too far before Jarred's dog started acting up. I think Tay took care of it; I wasn't paying attention at the time – I was more concerned with finding the noble who'd been doused. Then Piper started whimpering. Something had to be wrong close by – I've seen dogs do that before. Either they can smell the blood, or they can sense it – I don't know which.

I glanced at Jarred, nodding for him to take the lead. We weren't far at all when he led us down a dark alleyway. Lo and behold, there was the nobleman, throat slit and valuables gone.

"Jarred, take your dog home and run to the kennel to get some help," Tay said. Our Puppy nodded and disappeared, leaving us there to wait.

The Cage Dogs took care of the body, catching Beka on their way back, since she's the Dog who's had the most experience dealing with nobles.

The Lord Provost was at the kennel when we got there. I've met Devon of King's Reach on several occasions. He's nice enough. He was talking to Goodwin when we got there. He's only a little bit taller than her, very dark brown hair, green-hazel eyes, and he's a mage.

Goodwin motioned for us to join her and the Provost where they were standing. "Collin told me that you found a noble dead in the City, and I just heard from Beka. She identified the noble in question. He was Sir Kindan of Haryse, Lord Gershom's eldest son."

There was an almost awkward silence for a few moments before Lord Devon spoke up. "Kindan was a noble, therefore his murder must be investigated. There are no suspects as of yet. You two," he indicated me and Tay, "are assigned to this case. You'll be working with Cooper and Harwell, since they're the only other free pair at the moment. If you find anything of importance, make sure to let me know."

Tay and I both nodded, and the Provost led us off to a separate room with Goodwin to talk to us. "Jewel, Prince, you do realize that this is a very important case, do you not?" I nodded again, as did Tay.

"We need you two to find who did this, without getting yourselves killed, got it?" Goodwin chimed in. "You two are one of the best teams on Evening Watch, and I don't want to have to replace you. That'll take years, for one thing," she told us. There was a dangerous glint in her eyes, making it clear that we were to make sure that we did manage to come out alive.

The rest of the conversation is confidential, so I can't even put it down in my journal, in case someone gets it. Ah, well, that happens every once in a while.

Tay and I were released from the discussion a few minutes before Watch ended, and we returned to the main room to find Jarred nearly asleep. I will admit, it was a tiring night, and I have yet to eat. I think Kai's done with whatever he was working on when I got back, so I can finally go to sleep (being a blacksmith, he's almost always noisy when he's working). I'm going to go get one of the pieces of fruit that I bought this morning before I do go to sleep, I think.


	8. Lessons

From the journal of Jarred Cooper  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 21, 267

After Watch

All I can think is 'Ow'. Today was a very rough day…

There was usual beatings with the Sarge (only four years left), but the reason that I'm hurting so much is that I sought out the Shang warriors before baton practice with Goodwin, and I got a sound beating from them, too. I also got Ma upset at me by asking her about my Da again. I don't think I'm ever going to find out who he is or was.

I was woken AGAIN by those blasted pigeons. To make it worse, when I hit the shutters with a fist, Piper jumped onto the bed and started licking my face, and tugged at my earring. As usual, I was not happy. I don't like waking up before I have to, and I only have to when Ma comes to bang on the door acos I've got to get up to get breakfast.

So, as I was saying, Piper jumped up on the bed and started licking me, then she tried to paw at the charm on my earring. That hurt. I suppose I'm rather irritable in the morning, now that I think about it. Oh well. Within a couple of moments, I gave up trying to fend of the puppy and got up. She scampered to the door, whined and scratched at it. I assumed that she wanted to get out and moved over to the door to let her out. When I was almost there, there was a sharp knock on the door, followed by Ma's voice.

"Jarred! Get up! You're late, and if you don't get downstairs, I'm goin' to eat breakfast without you!" I opened the door and blinked rather groggily at her.

"I'm up. I'll be down in a minute." She raised an eyebrow. Obviously, she could tell that I'd only been up for about three minutes. "Piper started licking me, and started messing with this." I indicated the earring.

"I told you not to get that. But did you listen? No. Just like…." Ma stopped and frowned. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

"Just like Da?" I suggested. She turned her gaze on me, slightly angry, now.

"Yes, Jarred. Like your Da."

"How much am I like him?" I asked. She closed her eyes.

"Too much," she said. She opened her eyes and looked away from me, as if she would see my Da when she looked at me.

"Will you tell me about him, Ma?" I watched her hopefully. She turned back to me, her eyes pools of ice.

"No. He's gone, Jarred. You know that. I've told you a thousand times. I can't. I'm sorry. I just can't." She turned and fled up to the next floor. I was out the door and after her in a second, but by the time I got to the bottom of the steps, I heard the lock click loudly on her door.

I ran my hand through my hair and let it rest on my neck while I looked down at my dog.

"I messed up again, Piper…" I told her. "I keep doing that, I keep hurting her…" I made a disgusted noise and went back to my room. I dressed and ran down to get sommat out of the kitchen for breakfast, so that I wouldn't be hungry when I was busy doing sommat else.

Right before I headed out, I heard Ma on the steps. I paused, waiting for her to get to the bottom before I left. When she came into view, she regarded me cautiously without a word.

"I'm sorry, Ma," I told her. "I shouldn't have asked." She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen to fetch her own breakfast. I walked out of the building to see what I could find to do before I had to go back to my room to change and get ready for baton practice. That was when it occurred to me that I had met Shang warriors a few days before.

After wandering around for a while (being bored, for the most part), I found them, buying fruit from a vendor near the riverfront. The mot, Eastbrook, was sitting on a barrel not too far away from where Halcyon was standing with the vendor. She watched me as I approached, still sitting on her barrel.

"Cooper, isn't it?" She asked me once I was close enough. I nodded. "I was wondering when we'd be seeing you again. Where's that little shadow of yours?" She glanced behind me.

"Piper's in my room. Though, knowing her, she'll be out and running up to me in the next few minutes." As if I said the magic words, something yipped behind me. I turned to see what it was, and sure enough, it was Piper. She wagged her tail happily at me. I couldn't help grinning at her. Yet again, she had gotten out of my room when it was locked.

The Shang warrior giggled, causing Piper went bounding over to her, wagging her tail just a little bit harder. "Where did you find her, Cooper? She's adorable!" I chuckled when Piper jumped onto her lap.

"Call me Jarred, please. She was wandering around in the Cesspool and jumped on me," I replied.

"Don't like being called by your surname?" She asked. I shook my head. "Neither do I. It irritates me when people call me Eastbrook, though I still don't know why my parents saddled me with a name like Destiny…" She said. "But, all the same, call me Destiny, alright?"

"Got it," I responded. Her partner walked over to us, holding several pieces of fruit. He held an apple out to her. She accepted it, rubbed a side on her tunic, and bit into it.

Her partner regarded me cautiously, a slight frown creasing his forehead. "You're that Puppy we met the other night, aren't you?" He narrowed his eyes slightly. I nodded again.

"Yes, that would be me."

"What do you want?" He asked. Halcyon continued to watch me wearily. I gathered that he didn't like me at all from the tone in his voice. I think that he thought I was flirting with Destiny…

"I was wondering if you two would mind teaching me some of the Shang moves you know."

He glanced at Destiny, who nodded eagerly. He rolled his eyes and shrugged. "I don't see why not."

Destiny grinned at him and moved over to kiss him on the cheek. He flushed slightly, but didn't move.

"Come on," she said cheerfully. She hopped down from the barrel and strode off. Halcyon immediately followed her and motioned for me to follow him as if I didn't know I was supposed to.

After a short walk we arrived at one of the public practice courts. The two Shang started discussing what they were going to teach me while I played with Piper for a few minutes.

Finally, they came over to where I was sitting on the ground and the Wolf picked Piper up and started petting her. Halcyon watched for a moment before he spoke.

"We're going to teach you a form of kick first. It will likely take at least a few days, if not longer, for you to become proficient enough to move onto another style. I'll show you, and we'll work on your form with the kick." He moved to the center of the practice court and performed a perfectly balanced high kick. It looked very familiar. I thought for a moment as he walked back towards us.

Then it clicked. I'd seen Ma use it on a rusher when she was disarmed in a brawl she and Kayly were trying to break up at the Dancing Dove. I'd been watching out of the downstairs window when she thought I was asleep. A brawl broke out, and she ended up losing her sap and dagger, and her baton had ended up flying out the door she was standing close to (which happened to be the main door, else I wouldn't have seen it). She had used the high kick to ram her foot into the cove's jaw. I still don't think she knows I was watching that night. Even with all of the options I had open, and Lady Teodorie's prodding, I think watching Ma do her Dog work was what inspired me to follow in her footsteps and join the Dogs.

Now that I think about it, Ma did mention that she'd met a Shang warrior a couple of years before I was born. I felt a poke in my shoulder and turned to see who it was. Destiny was looking at me expectantly.

"Your turn," she said. I nodded and moved to where Halcyon had been standing and attempted to duplicate what he'd done. My first try was bad. Destiny grimaced and Halcyon covered his face with his hand. It's harder than it looks, to say the least.

The end result of that was me wishing I'd waited until my day off to ask them to give me a lesson. Halcyon made me practice until it was to his satisfaction for the day. Then he moved on to show me how to punch in a way that wouldn't put my knuckles in danger of getting broken. By the time we were done, it was time for baton practice. What fun. I got a beating from Goodwin and ended up in the dirt at least ten times.

Rinny walked into the kennel a few minutes after Tay, looking just a little bit annoyed. She was followed by a young cove who was in his teens. He had slightly reddish-brown hair and grey eyes. They walked over to me and Tay.

"Tay, Jarred, this is my nephew, Izack. He's fifteen, and he's going to be a Puppy next year," she paused for a moment, still looking irritated. "My sister insisted that I bring him along for muster. She wanted him to meet my partner and our Puppy." She sighed. Her nephew grinned but remained silent.

Goodwin walked over to her desk after a moment, gave us a lecture, and sent us off for Watch. Watch was not fun. I was sore from both my lesson with the Shang and my daily beating with the Sarge, and chasing after Rats for eight hours when you're sore is not something that I enjoy.

We walked toward the Nightmarket tonight. We were only a few steps down the road when a pickpocket brushed against Tay, relieving him of his belt purse. In an instant, Tay's hand caught the lad by the ear. The lad yelped and clawed at Tay's hand, trying to dig his nails into Tay's wrist. Tay tugged on the lad's ear, eliciting another yelp and a string of "Ow, ow, ow!" from the little pickpocket.

"Don't steal from Dogs. You'd end up in the cages for that if I was on Night Watch. Get going." The lad looked up at him with startling green eyes and an awed look on his face. Tay smiled at him and walked away.

We caught another three pickpockets, two foists, and a cove who was trying to cheat his customers. All in all, a good night. Not too heavy, and not boring.

We were about to eat (we stopped at a new place tonight – Dragon's Drafts, it's called.) when Tay spoke up. "Rinny, you didn't look very happy about your nephew. What's going on there?" he asked. Rinny sighed again.

"I don't think he should be a Dog. He's too sweet, and his parents would be heartbroken if he got killed on duty – he's their only child, and my sister can't have any more children. It would kill her to lose him. Too many of my family have died in uniform, and I don't want Izack to be one of them," she said. Then, she gave Tay a look that said 'that's the end of that, I don't want to talk about it'. I've gotten that look from Aniki and Ma too many times, and I've even gotten it from Kora, who doesn't even live in our lodgings anymore. She moved out when I was little, after she married Ersken Westover. She used to live below Aniki on the same floor as I've lived on since I moved downstairs.

We headed back to the kennel after dinner, stopping a couple more minnows and a foist before we got there.

I'm dead tired and my hand's cramping again. Good night!


	9. Amazing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song in this chapter is Amazing by Janelle.

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 22, 267

Before baton practice

Today was a very interesting day, at the very least. More odd than anything, really. It started out with my shutters flying open at dawn. It startled me awake when they banged against the wall, which caused me to get pelted with very cold rain. Considering I was completely unprepared for it, being asleep and all, my reaction was pretty interesting: I yelped and fell out of bed. Piper's instant reaction was to yip even louder, jump off the bed, and land on top of me.

"Aw, Piper, what did you do that for?" I asked her, giving her an irritated look. She let out a series of yips in response that sounded like this: _Look like fun! I try 'cause Jarred try! It fun!_

I stared at her, wondering if I'd lost it. "Did you just _talk_?" I was shocked, but my barely working mind was telling me that I was imagining things.

 _Yes, I talk,_ Piper yipped. I think I about passed out from the shock of having my dog talk to me. Animals ain't supposed to talk. It sort of scared me, to be honest. I blinked at her for a minute, watching her tilt her head in confusion. _Piper bad? No talk? Talk bad?_ Her bronze eyes looked up at me in a way that almost made my heart melt. She thought I was mad at her because she was _talking_.

"No, Piper wasn't bad. Talking isn't bad, just…unusual. Dogs don't usually talk…" I told the very confused puppy. She tilted her head a little bit more. I sighed and looked at her for a moment, wondering what to do next. I figured I should tell Ma before I did anything else. I quickly changed into the clothes I wanted to wear today, picked up my dog, and started upstairs. By the time I was at the top of the steps, I heard a tune floating from my mother's room. As I got closer to her door, it gradually grew louder, but only just.

Her door was open just a crack, but it was enough that I could see her – she was sitting on the window ledge, where her shutters usually rested. The shutters were open wide, despite the rain. For some reason, the rain wasn't falling into the room, and she wasn't wet at all. I suppose it might have something to do with her magic, since hers is far more developed than mine is, since she's had twenty years to practice with it. She stared out at the horizon, hugging her knees, as if wishing something would appear there. Her soft, melodious voice filled the room as she sang, without her magic.

_The morning cold and raining,  
dark before the dawn did come  
How long in twilight waiting  
longing for the rising sun_

_You came like crashing thunder  
breaking through these walls of stone  
You came with wide eyed wonder  
into all this great unknown_

_Hush now don't you be afraid  
I promise you I'll always stay  
I'll never be that far away  
I'm right here with you_

_You're so amazing you shine like the stars  
You're so amazing the beauty you are  
You came blazing right into my heart  
You're so amazing you are...  
You are_

_No matter where or how far you wander  
For a thousand years or longer  
I will always be there for you  
Right here with you_

_You're so amazing you shine like the stars  
You're so amazing the beauty you are  
You came blazing right into my heart  
You're so amazing you are..._

_I hope your tears are few and fast  
I hope your dreams come true and last  
I hope you find love that goes on and on and on  
I hope you wish on every star  
I hope you never fall too far  
I hope this world can see how wonderful you are_

_You're so amazing you shine like the stars  
You're so amazing the beauty you are  
You came blazing right into my heart  
You're so amazing...  
You are_

There were tears in her eyes as she let the last note drop away into silence. She buried her face in her thighs and let out a dry sob.

I drew back a few paces and looked at Piper. She, in turn, was watching me with those bronze eyes of hers. After a moment, I moved forward again, louder than the first time – loud enough that I knew Ma would hear me coming. I rapped on the door, ignoring the crack.

"Ma?" There was a slight shuffle inside, and the door opened just a bit more. My mother frowned at the door for a moment, obviously wondering how it had ended up open. Then she turned her attention on me.

"Yes, Jarred?" I shifted, then held my dog out to her. Her frown deepened as she gave me a slightly confused look.

"Either I've gone crazy, or Piper's talking to me," I said. Her eyes widened slightly.

"The dog's talking?" She asked skeptically. I nodded fervently. Ma raised both of her eyebrows and gave me a 'if-you're-joking-then-it's-not-funny' looks.

"She's talking, I promise!"

 _I talk! Piper talk!_ My dog cut in. Ma's eyes widened even more, and she let out a small gasp. She clapped a hand over her mouth and glanced up at me.

"You heard her, too, then?" I questioned, even though it was obvious. She nodded. "Oh, good. I'm not crazy. That's good to know," I muttered. Ma snorted.

"Of course you're not crazy. Did you never notice that Pounce talks…er, used to talk? He doesn't talk much anymore, just sleeps the day away..." It was my turn to frown. I'd forgotten that her cat used to talk, but now that I think about it, I do remember a few rather sarcastic comments from that cat. And I think Kora mentioned something about him being a constellation or sommat…

"If you go see Kora, she may be able to tell you whatever you want to know, if it has to do with magic. I have a report to write. I'll see you later." I nodded and she closed the door before I could say or do anything else.

I sighed and headed back to my room with Piper in my arms. I put her down after I had closed the door and moved to my clothespress. I pulled out a tan leather jerkin and tugged it on over the dark blue tunic I had pulled on earlier. From the dark clouds I saw when I closed the shutters, the rain wasn't going to let up for a long time. I hate it when it rains in the Lower City.

I tied Piper's leash to her collar and we headed downstairs. The kitchen was the first place we stopped, so that I could get a bite to eat and feed Piper. If we were going to end up wet, at least we wouldn't be wet with empty bellies.

After that we headed out. The rain was cold and pounding. Thankfully, Kora and Ersken still live in the Lower City, though their house is halfway across the district.

Piper and I trotted over to their house through the rain, ducking under some of the overhangs whenever we could. Finally, we got there, albeit we were sopping wet, but neither of us had managed to get muddy.

After picking my way around some rather annoying chickens, I knocked on the door. After a moment, Kora answered. Her dark hair was pulled back in a horsetail and she looked a little ruffled. Two shrieks cut through the air, one of laughter and one of pain. In the background I could see the two younger lads scuffling on the floor and their little sister was on the ground on one side. Kora sighed and glared at the lads over her shoulder. Then she turned her attention back to me.

"Hello, Jarred, what brings you here on such a rainy day?" She asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," I paused for just a minute, wiping rain from my face. The look on her face was curious, but a little confused. "It's about magic, and Ma told me to ask you about it…I don't think she wants to answer it…"

Kora nodded and moved aside, drawing the door open. "Please, come in. Watch out for Rosson and Anjier, they've been quiet wild today. They knocked Lea over a moment ago, as you can tell," she said. I closed the door behind myself and she went over to pick her youngest child off the floor and give her a hug. She and Ersken have five children – Alania is their oldest daughter, who's fifteen, Celtrin is the oldest lad at thirteen, Rosson and Anjier are twins, they're ten, and Leani is eight.

Kora, still hugging Lea, pointed to me, and my clothes were instantly dry. It was one of those useful spells she'd learned (mainly to prevent Ersken from dripping muddy water on her clean floors). She motioned for me to sit at the table while she scolded her sons. Once she had sent both boys to their rooms, she joined me at the table with little Lea. Lea gave me a hug before she sat down by Piper.

"Can I pet your puppy, Jarred?" She asked politely. I grinned at her.

"Of course. Piper likes being petted - her favorite spot is her belly." The small brunette grinned back at me and started scratching my dog behind the ears. When she realized that she had this little human under the control of her cuteness, Piper proceeded to plop over and demand that her belly be scratched.

"You named your dog Piper?" I looked up to see Kora watching me, slightly pale.

"Yes," I replied. "She makes these cute whistle-barks when she's happy, so I thought it fit." As if to prove my point, Piper let out one of her happy whistle-yips, eliciting a giggle from the gixie who was petting her. "Actually, Piper's what I came here to talk to you about." Kora almost frowned when I said that.

"This morning, she jumped on me when I fell out of bed," I paused when Kora's expression changed to one of concern. "My shutters opened and some of the rain got in, and it startled me out of a sound sleep," I explained. "She jumped on me, so I asked her why she did that. She told me." Kora stared at me. "She talked," I clarified.

"Oh." She paused, thinking. "Does she do anything else that's odd?" She asked.

"She gets out of my room when I lock the door and the window." Kora laughed.

"Pounce used to do that to Beka. He would get out and follow her on Watch when it wasn't a bad idea. Pounce is such a funny cat – you remember Laddybuck and Fuzzball, don't you?" She asked, still grinning. I nodded. "Pounce brought them to me and Aniki, and he threatened to bring one to…" She trailed off, looking down at her hands with a sad look on her face. "Well, he threatened to bring one to the cove who used to live in the boarding house with us. Beka told you that Pounce used to talk, before he got old and lazy, didn't she?" I nodded again.

"Pounce is a constellation called The Cat. The Cat has been missing from the night sky for about three decades. Some constellations will disappear from season to season, but more than that is unusual," she paused again, both to catch her breath and to glance at Piper. "There is a constellation called The Hunter's Companion, but it can only be seen when you're in southern Scanra and Galla. It's just barely visible when you're in the far north of Tortall. I don't think she looks much like the constellation, but it's possible…" Kora stopped talking when a screech cut through the air, and it wasn't coming from any of the three children in the room.

In an instant, Alania rushed down the stairs, almost falling over several times. Her dark hair was pulled back in a braid, and her younger brother, Celtrin tailing her.

"Mama! Cel put a bunch of spiders in my bed!" Alania frantically told her mother. Kora sighed.

"It was nice seeing you, Jarred, but it seems that my children are at it again. I doubt that you want to stick around for this. You're welcome to stop by again any time soon," Kora told me. I grinned and picked Piper up again.

"Of course. I'll come back for a visit when I get a chance," I told her.

I let myself out before the yelling started as Alania and Celtrin began vying to tell their side of the story. I've been there when before when something similar happened, it's not pretty.

The rain had let up a little, but it was still raining. Once we got back, I grabbed something to eat, as well as a snack for Piper, and came up to my room to write this after I changed. Now I have to get ready for baton practice and Watch…

After Watch

Can't write much. Broke wrist during Watch. Will take a couple days to heal, even with the healer's work. Will write when wrist healed.

* * *

From the Journal of Rosto the Piper,  
King of the Rogue in Tortall,  
Somewhere in Scanra.

April 3?, 258

If I have the day right, today would have been the day that Beka and I would be married for ten years. It's hard to believe that I've been here for almost nine years. It's even harder to think about Beka. I can't help but wonder how she's doing. It's been so long since I last saw her; I can't help but wonder if she's been killed on duty or if she's alive. I wouldn't blame her if she's gotten over my disappearance and is happy with some other cove. In every sense but the literally, I am dead. I don't think I'll ever be able to get out of here – they've put a lock on my cell door that can only be opened from the outside. At least I managed to filch more ink, quills and another pile of blank journals I can use before they caught me last time – I was so close to getting away, but there then I ran into that squad of guards…I was so close, I could almost taste my freedom.

If I never get out, at least I can hope that Beka can be happy without me. At least I can hope that she won't forget me…Oh, be careful, Beka. Be safe, my Elkhound. Please remember how much I love you. Happy anniversary, love.


	10. Rooftops

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 24, 267

Before dinner

Rooftops are not good to run on. That's one of the reasons I haven't been able to write for two days. I broke my wrist while I was on Watch, but it really didn't have much to do with rooftops. Thankfully, yesterday was a Court Day and today is an off day for the Dogs of Evening Watch. I'll start with what happened when Watch started, since it began at muster.

Baton practice was the usual – I hit the dirt twice, once when Goodwin whacked my knee out from under me, and once when I didn't manage to avoid one of her nap-taps. That hurt.

Anyway, after that, once all of the Evening Watch Dogs were there, we headed out. It was our night to patrol the Nightmarket, so we started to head that way. Tay's eyes flicked about the street, as if he was nervous about something. That was enough to make Rinny, and in turn, me, uneasy. He was tense, too, and he looked like he would yelp if someone scared him. And Piper didn't tag along, for some reason. She didn't even show up, or anything.

I caught three minnows before we even got there, but none of them were worth the trouble to arrest or writing about. Once we got to the Nightmarket, I stopped another one, but that's not the interesting part: less than a quarter of the way through, a cove sauntered up to Rinny. He looked more than drunk. Stupid cracknob. I'm not going to repeat what he said, since it would be dirtying my journal. I'll just say that he suggested a few things that were enough to make Tay flush when he overheard. Rinny gave the cove a near perfect nap-tap, and moved on.

"Not a word," she told Tay with a pointed look. He chuckled.

"Wasn't going to say anything, Rinny," he replied. She glared at him. She wasn't having a good day, and Tay was not helping. Rinny rolled her eyes and walked on, muttering as she passed me.

"Looby." I couldn't help snorting at that. We kept walking, catching a few here and there, but, overall, it was rather quiet for the first part of the evening. We were almost done with the Nightmarket when we heard a screech from inside one of the buildings. A cove came flying out a window and landed on an awning, then proceeded to fall from the awning to the ground. He landed with an light thud, rolled over, and looked around. When he spotted us, he scrambled to his feet, and rushed towards us.

"There's another man up there, and I think he means to kill my cousin, Kevlin of Venicele!" The cove talked like a noble, though he was dressed as a commoner. Just like Kindan of Haryse. Not to mention, the person he was referring to had a noble's name, too. I couldn't help but wonder if there was a connection as me and my Dogs ran to the building the cove had fallen out of, and up the stairs. A yelp rang out as we got closer.

Tay got to the door first, and forced it open. Inside, a pale, blond cove with a knife stood over a noble, who was breathing heavily and staring at the cove who stood over him. Tay growled, and moved forward, his baton was already in his hand. Rinny flitted around Tay as soon as he was through the door, so that she could stand on his right. I shifted to the left when I could get in.

The cove was obviously Scanran, judging by both his appearance and the curse that he uttered when he looked up and saw three Dogs in the room. Before any of us could react, he threw himself toward the window. Tay lunged forward, trying to catch him, but missed. The Scanran jumped out the window, landed on the balcony with a thud, then reached up and hauled himself up onto the roof. He was off in an instant – I could hear him through the ceiling. Tay cursed and did the same, following the cove.

"Said he was going to do the same thing to me that he did to Kindan," the nobleman said from the floor. Rinny looked up at me; there was a worried glint in her eyes.

"Jarred, follow Tay. Try to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid or get himself doused." I nodded and ran to the window and balcony. I jumped out the window, and pulled myself onto the roof, just as the other two had. Tay and the Scanran weren't too far off, I could still see them when I was once I was up there.

I slipped a little while I was trying to get up the angled surface. By the time I was at the top, Tay and the Scanran were starting to get farther away, but they had slowed down some. Tay was faster on the roofs than the Scanran was, but he has some experience running on rooftops. It took me a few minutes to get close enough – it's hard running, or walking, on an uneven surface.

Finally, I was close enough to see that they'd come to a standstill on opposite sides of a roof with a chimney. The closest roof was too far away for any sane person to jump, and Tay was blocking the only way to another roof. The Scanran's eyes flicked to me, then back to Tay. He knew there was no way for him to get off the roof unless he jumped or got past me and Tay.

With a move as fast as lightning, there was a dagger in his hand. He flicked it at Tay, who didn't get out of the way fast enough, and caught the dagger full on in the shoulder. Tay yelped, stumbled back, and lost his balance and footing. He slid down the side of the roof, scrabbling for some way to stay on the roof. The look on his face was one of panic, and for good reason: he couldn't get a grip on anything. Without anything to grab, there was no way for him to stop his slide. He did grab the lip of the roof, but it didn't help much – he managed to get the upper part of his body back up before his shoulder gave out and he fell. I heard an almost sickening thud and two loud cracks within a few seconds, and knew that he'd hit the ground. I couldn't even do anything to help him without falling off myself.

The Scanran took advantage of the fact that my attention was on Tay and surged forward. He knocked me over, but I managed to grab the chimney. The cove glance back, then ran off, slipping into another house. I got to my feet as fast as I could without falling. Then, I managed a controlled slide down the side, and glanced down. Tay was on his side, gasping in pain.

I looked around to see if I could find a way down – it was an alleyway, and there was a set of stairs to one side of the alley. I somehow managed to move over to where I could slip onto the stairwell without killing myself, and worked my way down. As I reached the last landing, I realized that I could hear rushed footsteps against the cobblestone streets. I ignored them, rushing over to where Tay was. He groaned lightly, turning pain-filled eyes up at me. He winced when he tried to move, moving his hand down to one of his ankles.

"Landed on my feet. Stupid. I think I broke both ankles," he said. The footsteps were right on top of us before I looked up. It was Rinny, who looked very worried. Of course, I would, too, if my partner was on the ground groaning in pain.

"What happened?" She asked. She looked at me, obviously wanting me to answer instead of Tay, who just let out another groan.

"He fell off the roof," I told her, "and he landed on his feet. He said that he thinks both of his ankles are broken, but I haven't had a chance to check."

"Tay, you ducknob, why did you land on your feet? You ain't a cat, and you know that you're going to get hurt if you do that when you fall from a height like that!" Rinny gave him a dirty look, then moved to try to check his ankles. She placed one hand gently on his boot, and he winced sharply, even when she was just lightly touching.

"Well, he definitely broke it, if I can't even check to see if he did or not acos it hurt too much. Come on, Jarred, let's get him back to the Kennel," she said. We managed to lift him to a position that made it so that he wasn't, and wouldn't have to, touch the ground as we walked. I have to admit, Tay is heavy. Considering the fact that he's a good six inches taller than me, and has more muscle on him, I shouldn't be surprised, though. The people on the streets parted to let us through, but that was probably acos Rinny and I both had our batons out, and they could see that Tay was injured – Dogs aren't nice when their partners are injured and they can't get them back to the Kennel. It was actually rather easy to get back to the Jane Street Kennel. Now, getting into the kennel is another story. Both me and Rinny were tired by the time we got there, and I almost ran into the doorframe, which would probably have ended badly.

Apparently, it was one of the nights that Goodwin and Tunstall had come in early, since both of them were in there when we got there. Goodwin paled slightly, and Tunstall frowned. They watched while we moved Tay to the small infirmary in Kennel.

"What happened?" Goodwin asked, once Rinny and I had gotten Tay to one of the beds. The healer had come rushing up, and was already checking him over.

"Tay fell off a roof," I told her. "He landed on his feet, and we were more than two stories up. We think he broke both of his ankles doing that." I paused for just a moment, trying to catch my breath. Goodwin was now frowning at me.

"Why were you on a roof?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She shifted her weight to one side, making the stance even more imposing. I looked at the floor for a moment, then looked back at her. I know I was slightly red. I just know it.

"We almost caught the cove who killed Kindan of Haryse. We had him cornered on the rooftops by the Nightmarket, and he threw a knife at Tay. It hit Tay, and he slipped. He grabbed the edge of the roof, but his shoulder, where the knife hit him, gave out, and he fell. The cove knocked me over, and got away." I looked up at her again, hoping that she wasn't mad. She wasn't, but she had her hand over her face.

"Did you at least see what he looked like?" I nodded, which obviously brought her hopes up a little bit.

"Late twenties or early thirties, five feet, five inches, slender, hair light blond, eyes green or hazel, skin pale, broken nose, thin lips, sharp features, but still had some baby fat. Earrings in both ears, gold hoops in the cartilage. I'm almost positive that he was Scanran, but not totally sure, he could be from the northern part of Galla, but he knew some Scanran, at least." Goodwin nodded, and started pacing back and forth. She glanced up at the healer when the woman moved away to get something.

"Is he alright?" She asked. She obviously didn't like having half of one of the three best teams on Evening Watch injured. The healer stopped for a moment, glancing back at Tay, who was now unconscious.

"He will be. I can only do so much for him since he's built up an immunity to healings, just like your own partner has. Guardsman Prince will have to be off duty, and off his feet, for two weeks, but he'll be fine after that, if he listens to me this time. He is not to be up and about until then, and he has to come to see me so I can make sure the breaks healed as they should before he goes back on Watch. You remember what happened last time, when he broke his shoulder and didn't listen. I'll make some packets of tea for him that will help with the swelling and the pain." She paused for a moment before she walked over to her herb stores. "Is he married or involved with someone who can watch over him to make sure that he doesn't do anything else stupid?" She asked. This time, it was Rinny who spoke up.

"No, but he can stay with me and my husband until then. Kai rarely leaves the house after I go to Watch, so it would work fine, I think. We have a guest room he can stay in," she said. The healer nodded as she pulled out more herbs and started mixing some of them together.

It was right then that the door to the kennel burst open. Elaine stumbled into the room. Her right arm was hanging useless at her side and bleeding heavily. She steadied herself against the doorframe, trying to catch her breath.

"There – there's a riot in the Cesspool! Ersken and Birch told me to run to the Kennel if I could get away. There's three Dogs dead already. They killed Lireal, Dario, and Tylia." Tears were running down Elaine's cheeks as she said this, but her voice was clear. Goodwin nodded to her.

"Good job. Let the healer take care of you and don't worry about it. Jewel, Cooper, come on." Goodwin swiftly walked to the still-open door, which Elaine had moved from. I offered my friend the best smile I could as we passed. Tunstall was on Godwin's heels, and both of them were off at a run as soon as they were out the door. Rinny and I dashed after them, in the direction of the Cesspool. The route we followed took us right past where Ma and Kayly were talking to a shopkeeper.

"Jarred, what's going on?" Ma asked as we dashed past. I slowed for just a moment and turned towards them.

"There's a riot in the Cesspool!" Her eyes widened and she and Kayly exchanged glances. I turned back around and sped up before I saw any more of their reaction. I could hear them start after us after a moment, but I was too intent on getting to where we supposed to be going to really notice.

By the time we got there, it was more like a brawl. There were Evening Watch Dogs everywhere, and even a few Dogs from other Watches out of uniform. Already, Goodwin and Tunstall were blocking blows and giving mots and coves alike nap-taps. Things were getting ugly. I skidded to a stop a few yards from the fighting and pulled out my baton. With a deep breath to steel myself, I moved in to help try to calm the crowd down. It was not fun. Within a moment, someone had thrown a shard of something and hit me on the cheek, slicing a slim cut into my skin.

Then, a cove came after me with a sword. He obviously didn't know how to use it, and I have no idea how he managed to get his hands on one, but he did. I disarmed him and whacked him on the back of the head when he threw a punch at my shoulder. He dropped and I moved on. I don't know exactly how it happened, but almost immediately after that, I was slammed into from behind, and thrown to the ground. I tried to stop myself from hitting the ground, but that turned out to be a very, very bad idea. The instant my right hand made contact with the ground, I heard a crack, and fire surged up my arm. I instantly lost my balance and ended up on my back, clutching my wrist.

I should probably mention that my baton work is horrible with my left hand. And when I say horrible, I mean it's bad enough to get me killed. I'm good with my right hand, but not my left. The funny part of that is that when I handle daggers, I'm good with both hands. It's just the baton work that gives me trouble.

Anyway, I pulled myself up, and somehow – I really don't know how – managed to get out of the brawl, with my baton, too. I got lucky. Ma got her nose broken again, and Tunstall ended up with two broken ribs. Kayly has a concussion that the healer couldn't do anything about acos she was too tired, so Kayly will be out of action for the rest of the week. Most of the Dogs got out of it without being injured too much. Five Dogs died in the riot and ensuing brawl. No one really knows what started the riot, but it must have been bad.

The burials for the Dogs who were killed – Lirael, Dario, Tylia, Ghent, and Siarra – were yesterday. I knew Tylia from my Puppy class, Lirael and Dario were her Dogs, and they were both nice. Lirael was a third year Dog, and Dario a seventh year Dog. I didn't know Ghent and Siarra aside from seeing them before and after Watch, so I can't say much about them.

Hmm…Elaine's sister, Ria, has just walked into my room, so I suppose I have to stop writing. Not to mention, I think Piper wants dinner. I'll write about what happened today tomorrow.


	11. Cleaning and News

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 25, 267

Before Watch

Before I was interrupted yesterday, I was going to write about the interesting day I had. The Court day wasn't interesting at all. All I got to do was sit there and listen to them go on and on and on about what this person had done and what that person had done.

For me, yesterday started out with the sudden disappearance of my dog, who had been asleep in the crook of my arm, and then a very cold splash of water. I yelped and fell out of my bed. I was completely soaked, and very much awake. I shook the water out of my face to see my mother standing over me with Piper in her arms and a bucket in her hand. Obviously, I was less than pleased, even if it was Ma who did it. I reached up to my ear and wiped off the silver dog-head charm so that the cold didn't bother me as I got to my feet.

"What was that for?" Ma raised an eyebrow.

"I've tried to wake you three times, it was the only way to get you up," she said simply. After placing Piper back on the ground, she walked out of the room and to the stairs. "If you don't come down in the next few minutes, you ain't going to get a fritter. Hurry up." I nodded before she disappeared down the flight of steps. Piper whistled at me, wagging her tail happily. I grinned at her as I pulled a fresh shirt from the clothespress. She nipped at my ankles then danced away, wagging her tail.

' _Play! Play!'_ She yapped at me. I grinned and knelt down once my shirt was on. She wagged her tail harder and danced around, trying to get me to chase her. I pounced several times, and just barely missed her. She loved it. When I drew back, she would pounce on me in turn. We played for easily twenty minutes before I heard footsteps on the stairs.

"JARRED! If you're not down here in five minutes, I'm eating without you!" Ma called from the bottom of the steps. I sighed, looking at my dog.

"Come on, Piper, I think we'd best get downstairs before Ma gets mad at me," I told her. We walked over to the steps, where I picked her up and carried her downstairs. I put her down once we were at the bottom, so that she could walk around on her own.

"Oh, good, you decided you wanted breakfast after all," Ma said when she saw me. She usually ain't a morning person, my ma. That don't stop her from waking the whole house up at dawn, though. I grinned and nodded as she handed me an apple fritter. There were Yamani rolls on the counter, too, with peaches by the look of them. I think they're called Peach Dragons or sommat – Ma loves them, I prefer the apple rolls, personally. She has Corcoran whip the Peach Dragons up at least once a week if peaches are available. He's been the cook and barkeep at the Dancing Dove for around twenty years, and he's still the best. He's nice, and as sharp as a Dog, not to mention an amazing cook.

I fed Piper, then made sure she was safely in my room before I headed off to find the Shang warriors and pick up a few things on my way back. I won't go into detail about my lesson, but I will say that it was considerably less abysmal. I've still got a long, long way to go before I'm anywhere close to as good as either of them.

I purchased some fruit on my way back and picked up a few things. As I was walking back, I heard the coo of a pigeon. I hate pigeons. I was attacked (well, not really attacked, they just formed a flock around me and wouldn't leave me alone) by several (about six) of them. They wanted food, and all but one of them was carrying a ghost. One was the ghost of the murdered nobleman, but the others seemed to be some rushers and then a mot who was murdered. Honestly, I don't like my Gift. I don't like pigeons, and I most certainly don't like those poxy ghosts that won't leave me alone. At least Ma likes them. It ain't her fault I got her Gift, it was pure chance. According to her, my Da didn't have the Gift in any form, so it was about half and half whether I'd get it or not. Even then, it was chance that it's as strong as it is; but, it was stronger in her than anyone else in the Cooper family in a long time, after all.

She did say it was odd, though, that I didn't get the eyes that usually go along with the Air Gift. She said that them in the Coopers who get the Gift have oddly colored eyes, but not the way mine are. They're usually the ghostly color hers are, a brilliant purple, or greys that range from steel colored to so pale they're almost white. They're all light colored eyes, but mine are dark, even with the gold flecks. That's the part of it that doesn't make much sense…

I headed back as fast as I could, trying to avoid more pigeons on my way. The only good thing is that they don't try to eat my earring…

I stashed the fruit in the kitchen then ran upstairs to put everything else away. As I let myself into my room, Ma appeared on the steps.

"Jarred, I need some help moving a few things down here – would you mind?" She asked. I paused for a split second, making sure that I wasn't going to be attacked by my dog when I fully opened the door before I answered.

"No, I wouldn't mind, when did you want the help?"

"Soon. I have a couple things to do before then. I'll come get you when I need help." I nodded and let myself into my room. Piper yipped from her spot on my pillow, wagging her tail lightly. I patted her on the head before putting everything away and straightening up a bit. Waiting was boring, acos I knew I didn't have time to start an entry in my journal, but there was practically nothing to do. I changed from the sweaty shirt I'd worn to my lesson with the Shangs to another fresh one and set to work polishing my baton.

After that, it wasn't long before there was a knock on my door. I opened it to see Ma standing there waiting for me. She nodded her head towards the stairs.

"I finished what I needed to; I need your help getting' those crates now." I put the baton down and followed her up to her room. A number of crates littered the room, as well as a few smaller boxes. I glanced at my mother questioningly.

"What are all the crates for?" I asked. She sighed and picked up one of the smaller boxes.

"I'm moving downstairs until this case is over." I nodded and moved to pick up the first of the crates. "No one's lived in Kora's old room since she left, and Aniki said she wouldn't mind if I borrowed it for now," she said.

"May I ask why?" I asked, kneeling to pick up the first crate.

"Because it would be senseless and reckless to leave my son unprotected on the second floor. And because it's odd that the Elkhound still shares a floor with Aniki, the Rogue." Ma's always so matter of fact about things that I get to wondering how I didn't think of that.

I nodded again before I carried the crate downstairs. The room that Kora had lived in before she moved out had indeed been empty since then. No one was brave enough to want to live in the same house as the Rogue, the Elkhound, and, more recently, another Dog (alright, Puppy).

Soon the pile was getting bigger in the downstairs room and smaller in Ma's room. Surprisingly, Kora's was actually clean (and not even dusty); Ma's still wasn't. I don't fault her for not having it entirely clean. It's understandable that the room would be slightly messy, at least, since Ma spends quiet a bit of her spare time down at the Kennel helping Sergeant Goodwin with reports and all of that other stuff. And when she's not doing that, she's sewing and taking care of the pigeons and dust spinners. Ma doesn't take much time just for herself anymore. She used to be less busy, but that was when Ahuda was Watch Sergeant and I was little, when she had to watch out for me.

We were mostly done when Piper managed to get herself out of my room again. I still don't know how that pup manages to get out, but she does. She came dashing into Ma's room right after I had picked up another crate. I didn't see her, and she got under my feet, where I couldn't have seen her even if I wanted to. I tripped over her and went staggering forward. I knocked a small case off of Ma's clothespress while I was trying to get my balance and not drop the crate. It went crashing to the floor right as she walked in. She glanced at it then at me, slightly worried.

"I'm sorry, Ma. I lost my balance and knocked your jewelry box off," I said. She just smiled slightly.

"It's alright, Jarred. You aren't hurt, are you?" She asked, checking me quickly with her eyes. "No? Then it was an accident." I nodded and put the crate down, kneeling to help her pick up everything that had been scattered. There were some bracelets, pendants, and a few other things strewn around the room, but by far, the most interesting things were closest to me. The first thing I picked up was one of the shells Ma brought back from Port Caynn when we went there when I was eight. I had found it on the beach and presented it to her like it was made of gold. I remember being so proud that I'd found her a pretty seashell. Even now, I still think it's pretty – it's an iridescent white Lion's Paw. Those are actually quiet rare, it turns out. Even rarer than normal Lion's Paws, which are a reddish color. It's rather amusing how I didn't even know how rare it was; I just wanted to make my mother happy. I got a smile out of her and out of her friend, the Port Caynn Rogue, Lockhorn, who had been standing there talking with her. Ma told me not to mention to folk she was on easy speaking terms with the Port Caynn Rogue. But I liked him. He had helped her with the counterfeiter case years before, and had managed to keep his throne through the years. Folk usually think she's a bit crooked, being friends with Aniki, and the Rogue before Aniki, and the Port Caynn Rogue, but she ain't, and she's my ma, and I love her.

Next to it was a silver coin that looked like a real silver noble, but I knew it wasn't. It was still shiny, even after years of being in her jewelry box. It was one of the coins from the case. Those coins didn't tarnish acos there ain't enough silver in them to make it tarnish, only enough to make them shine like the real coins do when they're new.

As Ma picked up the last of the things around her, I did the same, pausing only when I came upon a slim silver chain that had ended up mostly under the clothespress. The chain was of fine silver, but it was tarnished. I picked it up to look at it. It looked like it had been under there for several years at the very least; maybe so, since it wouldn't have been visible until I'd hit the clothespress. A flat disk hung on the chain, as well another pendant. I held the disk up, studying the tarnished surface. The image of a bird, a dove or a pigeon by the look of it, was carved into the surface. I was reaching to put it in the box when Ma stopped me. She looked at the pendants briefly. As she did, I let go of the chain and it slid into her hand. She smiled faintly at me.

"What is that, Ma? I know it's a necklace, but…" I let the rest of the sentence hang as I waited for her answer.

"It was a gift, from your Da." She smiled slightly as she spoke, and her eyes had a far off look to them. "He gave it to me before I left for Port Caynn during the Coles case…he said I'd need it. So I could tell the fake silver apart from the real." She said, looking at it with a sad smile. "He just wanted to give me a present. I thought I lost it years ago…" She sighed, but looked happy to know it wasn't forever lost. But that she still had it, and I think she'd wear it too. Then she went to pick up another box, and her jewelry box on the way out. I glanced at my dog, who had her ears back and looked like she was upset.

' _Piper sorry,_ ' she said. I grinned.

"It's alright, Piper, it was an accident, just like Ma said. You didn't get hurt and neither did I. There's no reason to be sorry." Piper's ears perked and she wagged her tail a little. My grin widened just a little as I picked the crate up again and took it downstairs. When I didn't hear the padding of Piper's paws behind me, I glanced back at her. What I saw was adorable. She had somehow managed to get one of the smaller baskets off of one of the crates and was dragging it toward the steps. The basket was twice her size, but she was tugging away at it. I watched her until she was at the top of the steps, when she yipped at me and wagged her tail.

She pushed it forward a little, then jumped into it. The basket tipped, but didn't topple, and she went sliding down the stairs, yipping happily. As soon as the basket was at the bottom, Piper jumped out and started drag it to the door Ma had left open.

After several more trips up and down the stairs, we had all of the crates down. I turned to go and there was a crash behind me. Ma and I exchanged glances and she sighed. Some of the crates had fallen over. Wonderful. I walked over to where one nearest me and knelt down by it. The contents of the crate were strewn on the floor around it. Brilliantly colored shirts had spilled from the box, creating an almost eye-hurting display. I picked up the one that had ended up on top, a brilliant red-gold one. I held it up, frowning slightly. I picked up another one, which was bright blue. They were both cove's shirts. I glanced at Ma, who was cleaning up the contents of another crate.

"Ma, these are all cove's shirts…" I said, frowning just slightly. She looked up from the things she was picking up. She nodded and raised an eyebrow, obviously wondering what I was thinking.

"You did have a Da, Jarred. I did tell you how babies were made," she said, looking at me with a grin. I oft wonder where she gets her sense of humor. She does like to tease me a bit more than I'd say is normal for a ma. Maybe its just in moments when I remind her of my Da.

"If it doesn't bother you, can I try some of them on then? That red-gold one is right good looking…" The faintest ghost of a smile appeared on her lips.

"Go ahead." I grinned at her and moved off to slip the shirt on over the one I already had on, just to see how it looked. Once it was on, I glanced at Ma again, smoothing out the material.

"What do you think?" I asked her hopefully. She looked me over and a smile, a true smile, played across her lips.

"Your Da was right cocky about them shirts. Used to let me pick out which one he'd wear for…well, for work. You look like him," she told me. "There, you've got that same cocky smile that he did." Ma's voice faded a bit, as she remembered my Da, and I gave her one of my wicked smiles, which made her bark a laugh, much like Goodwin does sometimes.

"So you've said, Ma," I responded. She chuckled lightly.

"Don't let Aniki see you in that shirt: it just might make our fearsome Rogue-Queen cry…" she said. I frowned slightly.

"Why? Did she know Da?" I asked. Ma glanced at me, a little surprised that she'd let something slip. She had tears just barely forming on her eyes.

"Your Da introduced me to Aniki. She wasn't Queen of the Rogue then." From the look in her eyes, I knew Ma wanted to change the subject. She did, "He first wore that shirt about a week before Midwinter. He threw Bold Brian into the river wearing that shirt," she said, another soft chuckle escaping her lips. "It still makes me laugh to think about it."

"He threw Bold Brian in the Olorun?" I asked. She nodded.

"Shouldn't he have been punished for doing something like that?" I asked Ma.

"Well, I wasn't about to arrest your Da. Not just then. Besides, Brian weren't hurt. The Bold Bugnob is still walking around with all his fingers and toes, isn't he?" She said it and I couldn't help but laugh. Ma did like to laugh; she's Lower City folk, she cries when she's sad, laughs when she can, and does her job to the best of her ability.

"Brian called him a spintry. Your Da hated being called that, particularly by Brian, who got thrown into the river more than once for doing it…" She offered me a last slight smile before she went back to cleaning up the mess. I shed the shirt, folded it back up, and put it in the crate. At the bottom of the pile of shirts, there were two things. One was a worn golden-brown wooden flute; the other was a small black book with the silver imprint of a five-petaled flower and a single leaf on it. The book was flipped over and laying open on the floor, with the cover up. I picked up the flute first, examining the way the wood looked.

"Ma, what's this? I asked. She looked up as she finished repacking one of the crates that had fallen.

"That's a flute, son." I gave her an unamused look.

"I know that. But why do you have it?" She gave me a slight grin, but the look in her eyes was sad.

"That was one of Rosto's pipes. When he disappeared, Aniki, Kora, and I each kept one." I nodded, taking it in. She must have seen the look I was giving it – I'd always wanted to learn to play a pipe – because she sighed. "You can have it, if you like, but take good care of it." I nodded, running a light finger across it. She turned away, hauling the crate over by the small bookshelf, then moved back to clean up the next crate. While she was doing that, I turned my attention to the book in front of me on the floor. I picked it up, and glanced at the page it had fallen open to. It was a journal entry.

_I glanced at Beka, who was being helped from the floor by Ersken. "How you doing, Terrier?" He asked._

" _Lousy," Beka replied, her voice a low growl that showed her dislike for Kassie. "She's gone and ruined my breakfast, and I need to go upstairs for a new hair tie." She started muttering curses at Kassie under her breath, switching to some of the Scanran swear words that I'd accidentally taught her._ _Dzubrije mala, kurvica, nevjerovatnija, which meant, to put it mildly, the dirty little tramp, unbelievable._

" _BEKA! Watch your mouth!" Kora exclaimed with a shocked look on her face. "Who taught you to speak like that?" Kora's eyes flicked to Aniki, then me before Beka replied._

" _Blame Rosto." Kora gave me a look that said 'why-did-you-do-that-Rosto?' I just shrugged –_

The journal was snatched from my hands before I could read anymore. I looked up to see Ma standing there, holding the book to her chest. It was still open to the page I'd been reading and she read it, turned the page, and then promptly closed the book. She looked like she had to fight with herself to shut the book, but she did close it. She put it down with some effort, closing it in with a box of daggers that I knew weren't all hers.

"I told you never to read other people's journals, Jarred," she said. I would have argued that I didn't know it was a journal until I'd actually read some of it, but thought better of it. I don't like arguing with Ma; it doesn't end well, usually. I nodded.

"I'm sorry." She watched me for a moment, then went back to the crate she was working on. I finished cleaning up the one I was working on and escaped the room. I can't help but wonder; that was Rosto the Piper's journal. It couldn't be anyone else's, but what I can't help wondering about is why she has it. The pipe, I understand, but not the journal. Well, I suppose it's not my business and I shouldn't be snooping…

I finished polishing my baton, since I had gotten interrupted earlier, and was just about to head down to the kitchen to scrounge sommat up for lunch when Ma walked by. I had left the door open when I came back earlier, so it wasn't too much of a surprise.

"Have you had lunch yet?" She asked. I shook my head, putting my baton down. "Good, we can eat together, then. I'll be downstairs, and would you bring the wood polish with you?" She asked, holding up her baton. I nodded and she walked off. I woke Piper, who had fallen asleep again, and we joined Ma downstairs.

She was in the kitchen, talking good-naturedly with Corcoran as he moved around the kitchen getting ready for the dinner rush at the Dove. Piper bounced into the kitchen and ran around, knocking a few things over as she did, until I ran after her and picked her up. I made her sit on my lap and pulled out the pipe Ma had given me earlier. Taking a deep breath, I made an attempt at playing the wood flute.

The first note was way off key. It was bad enough that Ma and Corcoran stopped what they were doing and winced.

"Sorry," I said. I tried again, and managed to play a proper note. Eventually, I managed to work out how to play the lullaby that Ma used to sing to me when I was little and I couldn't sleep – Toora Loora Loora. It was a little wobbly at first, but eventually I managed to play it through without hitting too many wrong notes. I still hit quiet a few, though. I had just started again, and Ma had put the food down on the table by her baton, when the door to the Dove opened. Aniki and Bold Brian entered, Aniki at a run. Bold Brian walked behind her, looking bored. I glanced up at Aniki, whose face was alight with a glint of hope and excitement.

"Rosto! Oh…" Aniki trailed off as I stopped mid-note and put the flute down. Brian raised an eyebrow and looked at her expectantly. He then proceeded to look at me and Ma at the table. Aniki smiled slightly, but let out a barely noticeable sigh. "Sorry, Jarred." After a moment of watching us, Brian frowned and glanced from me to Ma, as if he was comparing us. A smirk settled on his face and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You know, Cooper, the lad reminds me of someone…a certain Piper, maybe? By the name of Rosto?" I glanced at Ma, who raised both eyebrows to give him one of her 'Are-you-in-your-right-mind?' looks. I know that look to mean, "drop it while you still have your skin attached." But obviously Brian forgot, because what he said next makes me wonder if he's thinking straight, too. Ma's the Elkhound, and she was married a good year before Rosto the Piper disappeared. Brian is a looby. Rosto the Piper, my Da? Hardly possible. He and Ma weren't even on the same side of the law, so she wouldn't have married him. That just plain don't make sense.

"I always knew he was a spintry, but to think he'd-" Just as he was saying that, a brown blur whipped past me and connected with his jaw in a resounding _crack_. He staggered backwards and landed sprawled on his back with a hand on his jaw. Ma's baton came to rest on the ground a couple of feet closer. I glanced back at her again. Her icy eyes were narrowed and she was glaring at the downed rusher.

"It ain't kind to speak ill of them as aren't here. Rosto wouldn't have taken to you calling him a spintry, Brian. If you won't respect him, then at least respect his memory," she said. Aniki looked down at Brian with a glare.

"You are too bold by half. Beka just broke your jaw, Rosto would have gutted you for calling him a spintry," she told him. A muscle in her cheek twitched in anger as she glowered at him. He scrambled up and dashed out the door just as Aniki's man, Phelan, walked in. He raised an eyebrow as the other rusher passed him.

"What was that about?" He asked. Aniki shook her head, a grin appearing on her face.

"Oh, Brian was a little naughty. It was nothing." _A little naughty? Yeesh. Ma just broke his jaw._ She kissed him on the cheek as he joined us. Aniki glanced at the food on the table. "You two haven't eaten yet? May we join you?" She asked. Ma smiled slightly and nodded as she walked over to pick up her baton.

We had an enjoyable meal, chatting about everything and nothing. After we were done and Aniki and Phelan excused themselves to talk about Rogue business and Ma ran off to the meet Goodwin and Tunstall about sommat. I decided that I was going to write up my account about the riot and try to get the day's information in there, too.

I was greeted by a happy whistle-yip when I got back. Piper jumped off of my bed and pranced over to me. I grinned at her, placed the case on my own clothespress, and picked her up. I scratched between her ears before putting her down to go write in my journal.

I was about to start on yesterday's events when Elaine's sister, Ria, walked in the door I'd left open. She was out of breath, and covered in sweat. Ria and Elaine don't look much alike. Ria's hair is very dark brown, almost black, while Elaine's is copper-brown. Ria has dark brown eyes (not as dark as mine, but darker than Tay's), compared to Elaine's grey ones. Ria brushed her ark bangs out of her face as she tried to catch her breath. Her clothes were plastered to her body, and she looked like she'd run a long way. Before she could open her mouth, I held up one finger and disappeared down the stairs to get her some water. I handed her the water when I got back up to the room. She chugged it within a few seconds. She nodded her thanks while I waited for her to recover.

"Elaine told me about that cove, Jarred, after Prince told her when they were at the healer's at the last Watch. I went ferreting around as a favor for her. I was on the other side of the city when I saw the cove. He purchased a horse and said something about needing it to be strong enough to get him to Scanra without having to change horses. I don't know exactly what he said – he has a horrible accent and don't speak Common well, but that's what I could work out," she said. "I ran all the way across the city acos I don't know where Arina Jewel lives, and you and your Ma are on the case, too." I let out a whoop. We had a lead.

"Thank you, Ria! You've just made sure we can't lose the scent before we've got it." I hugged her, despite the fact that she was soaked to the skin with sweat. She grinned.

"Not a problem, Jarred. I'm off to rest. I'll see you later, and tell Elaine you said 'hello'?" I nodded and she moved off, disappearing down the stairs again. I ran out the door with Piper on my heels and back up the stairs. Ma had just gotten back from whatever she was doing as I got to the bottom of the steps. As soon as I had her attention and we'd made sure that no one else was listening (not that we couldn't trust Aniki or Phelan, just everyone else who was starting to show up) I started talking. She stared at me while she took in all of the information that Ria had given me. Once I was done she nodded, a grin splitting her face.

"Thanks, Jarred, this may be just the lead we need. Why don't you go tell Jewel?" She suggested. I nodded excitedly and ran back up the stairs to get my dog. After clipping Piper's collar to the lead, we set off towards Rinny's house.

Rinny lives in a nice, large, two level apartment on Stuvek Street. I knocked on the door. After a moment, it was answered by an average height, dark haired, hazel-eyed, tan skinned cove.

"I'm Jarred Cooper," I said. "Is Rinny around?" He nodded.

"Yes, come in, I'll go get her. She took dinner up to Tay," he responded. I stepped into the apartment, and he disappeared. After a moment, Rinny came thumping down the stairs. She gave me a worried look as she walked over. She watched me expectantly once she was a few feet away.

"Elaine's sister Ria just came to see me. She got a scent on our Rat – he ought a horse and is going to head to Scanra." Her eyes widened, and she nodded.

"Thank you, Jarred. I'll tell Tay and the Sarge, you go home and rest. If I know the Sarge, she'll tell have us moving in the next couple of days," she told me. I nodded and did as she said. I-

Drat! I'm going to be late! Goodwin's going to have my head for this!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The italic portion of the chapter from the journal is an excerpt from the fourth chapter of a story Lady Wolf and I wrote, called Sunlight and Shadows, which can currently be found over on Fanfiction.net if you would like to read it.


	12. Time

From the journal of Rosto the Piper,  
King of the Rogue in Tortall  
Somewhere in Scanra

January 4?, 264

Darkness is torment, time is torture. Today would be my fortieth birthday, if I have it right. I've been here for nearly fifteen years. Fifteen years without seeing Beka. Fifteen years since I was a free man. Freedom isn't something I expect any more. It isn't something I crave. How can I crave anything that I cannot hope to ever have? I cannot hope that anyone will come for me. I cannot even hope that Beka would be able to figure it out. For the longest time, I sat here, hoping, dreaming, that someday, I could be free again. For me, there is no someday. Time is of the essence, and my time is running out.

* * *

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Resident of the Lower City, Corus

April 26, 267

Before Watch

I have to make a mental note never to be late again. Sergeant Goodwin was furious with me. And by furious, I mean she yelled at me for ten minutes straight before baton practice could go on. She hates it when any of us are the slightest bit late, which results in getting yelled at for not managing to get there on time. She always tells us that timing is important, and could mean the life of another Dog if we don't get there when we need to be. She has a point there. Goodwin was still mad enough that I think every one of us came out of it with a bruise. I got a perfectly aimed nap-tap, so not only do I have a bruise where I got whacked on the chin, but I actually did pass out when she hit me. I don't think she meant to do that, judging from the fact that she was the one who was waving a Wakeflower vial under my nose with a concerned expression on her face. My chin still hurts…

Anyway, after baton practice, Rinny headed over to me while I watched Ma talk to Tunstall and Goodwin. I think she spends more time with them than she does with me, or anyone else.

"Jarred, I talked to Goodwin after you left yesterday. She's already talked to the Lord Provost. We have a writ to go after that cove, even if we have to go to Scanra. We leave in two days – one of the Fourth Watch Dogs has been tailing him and apparently, his plans are to leave then. We need to tail him until we have an opportune time to catch him, or find out who he's working for and see if we can arrest them," she said. I nodded, running the information through my mind. "Oh, and Beka's on Watch with us tonight since Tay and Harwell are both out of action. It ought to be interesting seeing how you and your mother work together…" She grinned at me, then wandered off to talk to one of her friends among the Day Watch Dogs who hadn't left yet.

I glanced over at Ma, noting that she was still talking to Goodwin. She had her hand over her mouth and looking like she was fighting not to laugh. Goodwin was giving her an irritated look. I couldn't help but walk over to where they were. Ma glanced at me, saw the bruise that was already forming and raised an eyebrow. She stifled a giggle (I never thought Ma was capable of giggling. Laughing, yes, but not giggling.) as she glanced back at Goodwin, whose expression was not one of amusement.

"It was his own fault, Bek. He was late, and you know how it irks me when they're late. And he didn't block my baton. It ain't my fault the lad ain't fast enough to get away without a bruise. He'll likely have one on the back of his head, too, since he hit the ground so hard…" Goodwin sighed and walked over to her desk. Ma turned her attention on me.

"So, you got yourself hit with one of Clary's infamous nap-taps? You're not hurt are you?" She asked, the concern visible on her face. I shook my head.

"Besides the bruise, no. That, on the other hand, hurts." She snorted and shook her head.

"Your Da never could dodge nap-taps, either. He was good at giving them if he had to, but couldn't dodge them to save his life," she said, continuing to shake her head. She chuckled lightly, and her eyes had that far off look again.

Though there wasn't anything very interesting on Watch last night, I can see why Ma's one of the best Dogs in the Lower City. She spotted things that Rinny and I didn't. Still, there isn't much worth writing about – everything pales in comparison to what we're about to set out to do. The excitement alone is making me nervous.

After Watch

Watch isn't the same without Tay. Ma, Rinny, and me are fine together, but it ain't fun like it is with Tay. Not to mention, Ma's being just a tad overprotective of me on Watch. I can see why Goodwin didn't want to put us on the same team at first. I can tell that Ma's fighting with herself whether to see me as the son she's raised and watched over or the Puppy she's supposed to help train while she's partnered with Rinny. It's hard for her, since her first instinct is to protect me, but it's hard for me, as well. The only way I'll end up being a good Dog is if I get practice at it while I'm a Puppy.

Anyway, we had a quiet Watch for the most part, since we ended up patrolling on the far side of the Lower City, the part that borders Patten District. Patten District, for all that it borders the Lower City, is far quieter, and the Dogs don't have to work as hard. It's rather ironic, since it's so close to the busiest district for us Dogs. I don't like patrolling over by Patten. It's boring. There aren't many Rats to catch over there, and isn't much to do. It also makes it easier for Ma to make sure that I'm not the one going after the foists and the other more dangerous Rats. I caught a couple of pickpockets, but there really wasn't much to do (meaning that there wasn't much that I was _allowed_ to do). I was trying to catch a foist near the end, one who had plucked a few items from booths when he thought there as no one watching. I was about two feet from him when Ma came out of nowhere ahead of him and grabbed him before he could make a sound. She had hauled him up and relieved him of the items before she glanced at me. I gave her an annoyed look. She frowned, raising her eyebrows slightly. I sighed as Rinny came up behind me. She looked from me to Ma and back again.

We had started back towards Jane Street when I saw another foist. I glanced over at Ma to see that she was scanning the other side of the street. Grinning to myself, I slipped off into the crowd, tailing the foist, who, like the last one, was a cove. I was almost behind him when he noticed me and sprinted off. I surged after him, trying to get my baton out of the holster as I moved. It wouldn't come out, so, instead, I tackled him. We struggled for a few moments before I got him pinned on his stomach with one arm behind his back. Once I had his hands tied with my rawhide cords, I noticed that Ma and Rinny were watching me. Ma had a tense expression on her face, and looked slightly worried. I grinned at her, but she just frowned at me.

"I'm fine, Ma. I caught him, see? You don't have to watch me like a hawk. I'm a big boy now, and I can do Dog work just like you can. Besides, you can always go catch your own foists," I told her, speaking quietly enough that only she could hear me. She looked up at me and our eyes met. There was an odd acceptance in her eyes, as well as just a hint of sorrow. I think she knows I'm right, but it's easy to tell that Ma is having a hard time dealing with the fact that I'm not that little boy she worked so hard to care for anymore. I can forgive her for that; she is my mother after all…

We walked back to the Kennel, mustered out, and Ma and I headed back to the Dancing Dove. When we entered, Bold Brian, who had been standing near the door, fell over and scrambled away from Ma as fast as he could. Ma chuckled when she saw him doing that. I'll admit that it was funny.

As we walked past the counter, Corcoran (or, as Ma calls him, Cookie) hailed us, and Ma seated herself on one of the stools. It's rare that we get home at the same time; usually I'm upstairs by the time she gets back acos she catches up with Ersken (and he tells her what his children have been up to, which is generally rather funny). So, I don't usually end up being downstairs with her when she gets back. She nodded to the stool beside her as Corcoran put a plate of food in front of her without being asked. After another moment, he placed a glass of red wine in front of her, and glanced at me, raising a brow in question, after placing a second glass on the counter. Before I could say anything, Ma cut in.

"Don't even think about it, Jarred. You can have barley water and any food you want, but no wine, ale, whiskey, or the like." I rolled my eyes and plopped down on the stool.

"Aw, Ma. Corcoran himself brought the wine. Remind me why it's not alright to drink it?" She gave me a scathing look in response.

"Son, Cookie don't make the wine. He buys it. A lot can happen to a keg between maker and seller. Now, you look pale. Here, have some of my meat pasty," she said, moving her plate towards me.

"If you're so concerned about it, when why are you drinking it?" I asked her. Right when she was taking a sip, too. She coughed and put the glass down.

"Jarred, I am thirty-seven years old. I'm a mot grown; I can do as I like. You are seventeen, and I am your mother. No wine. Alright?" She asked sternly, pushing her plate towards me. "Now, why don't you have some of my meat pasty?" She insisted.

"Fine. Barley water," I muttered. She watched me insistently until I'd eaten half of the meat pasty. To make a point, I snatched some of the herb roasted potatoes off of the plate too. If I don't eat as much as Ma thinks I need to, she gets a little irritated and I end up getting (and eating) way too much.

Then we noticed a group of rushers push one of their own towards Aniki's throne. Aniki glanced at them and the mot in front of the platform cleared her throat nervously.

"Your majesty," she started, "well, we were thinking that it was a little bit quiet since you had that minstrel thrown in the river…to be frank, we're bored. There ain't nothing to do, and there isn't any entertainment or anything. Reed Katie mentioned sommat about there being musicians here once. Or jugglers!" The mot glanced back at the rest of the group, who nodded enthusiastically. Aniki did not look entirely pleased. The mot started nattering on about entertainment (most of which I don't remember, to be perfectly honest) until Aniki simply smiled at her (though she was still a tad annoyed), and replied.

"But, we do have a singer in residence," Aniki's blue eyes fell on Ma, who was glancing over her shoulder with her mouth full. "Beka, would you honor us with a song?" She asked hopefully – almost pleadingly, really. Ma coughed, trying to swallow. I pushed my barley water towards her. She took a few gulps, giving me a grateful smile when she put the mug down again. She glanced at Aniki, who looked just a tad worried, but not enough to be noticeable. Ma cleared her throat before she replied.

"I suppose," she said, just a little bit reluctantly. Aniki grinned, nodding in response, obviously thankful that Ma had accepted. Ma took a deep breath and got up from the stool. Silently, she walked over to the Rogue's platform, where Aniki's throne was. She took another deep breath. By then everyone was watching her, and, being as she is shy and all, that makes her a bit nervous. Everyone fell silent when she began to sing, with her Gift, this time.

_Do I miss you?  
Count the stars,  
Multiply by ten  
Course I do  
More than now and then_

The feelings were overwhelming, and there were so many different emotions sweeping through the song, love and sorrow foremost. The heartrendingly sweet sound of Ma's voice floated on the air, almost pulsing with the power of what she was feeling, what she was expressing in her song.

_I could paint a rainbow  
Shine the sky  
Set the stars in space  
Faster than explain how much  
I miss your face_

She paused for just a moment, letting the words settle on the hearts of her audience. I felt tears race down my cheeks as I watched her. From the distance, I could see the heartbroken and lost look she had. The song itself was enough that I could feel my own heart slowly breaking, but that look

 _Watch the moon  
Someday soon  
She will start to smile  
When I say_  
" _I'll see you in a while"  
But till then I'll miss you_

I never thought that she was still hurting from Da's disappearance. It was so long ago, but it's still a fresh wound for her. I've only ever seen her as my ma, the one who has been there. She always seemed so much stronger than it was possible, like she wasn't hurting at all. In truth, she was just being strong for me, though she was hurting more than I imagined possible on the inside. I reached out with my Gift as she had taught me, feeling the ache of loneliness in her words. It was plain without magic, but with magic, the pain was overwhelming, enough to drive someone crazy. That was how she felt. She misses my father more than I could ever have thought possible, but she loved him even more than that.

_Dry my tears  
Hide my fears away  
Until that happy day  
To the rainbow's end  
Is where I would go, my friend  
I do miss you so._

When she let the last notes drop into silence there wasn't a dry eye in the inn. As if it were possible not to feel what she sang. Even Aniki had tears streaming down her face. No one was immune to Ma's singing. That's what makes Ma such a good singer – she doesn't even have to use her magic to make the emotions real. She puts her heart into the song, and it pulls at the heartstrings of anyone who listens. Her Gifted singing is even stronger, because the feelings that her magic creates are real and true to what she feels.

She wiped her own eyes and walked back over to me, sniffing a little. She finished the rest of her food without a word, thanked Corcoran, and indicated that I was to follow her upstairs.

"That was about Da, wasn't it?" I asked her once we had reached the top of the stairs. She nodded, brushing away the last of her tears.

"Yes, it was. I miss him," she said. After a moment, she spoke again. "It has been eighteen years. There's no chance that he'll come back. There's no chance that he's even alive anymore. People who vanish in the Lower City rarely come back alive and none after so long. It just…hurts…" She sighed, obviously fighting tears again. I could tell that singing that put her on the edge emotionally.

"It's alright, Ma," I said, giving her a hug – she looked like she needed one. She buried her face in my shoulder and just let it out for a few minutes. She works so hard in every aspect of her life, but even the strength she shows has its limits. She has a right to have moments where she doesn't have to seem like she has no weakness. She tries so hard not to seem vulnerable, particularly in front of me. "It's alright," I whispered to her again, trying to comfort her.

"So Da ain't here. When I was little, you said that I was the main man in your life. I still am, and I'm still here. I'm not going to leave you, Ma." I assured her. "I love you, Ma," I whispered, giving her a last squeeze before letting her pull back and look at me. She smiled slightly, sniffing as she brushed the tears away again.

"Thank you, Jarred," she said. She offered me another teary smile and let herself into her room (which I can't manage to think of as hers, since it was Kora's for so long). "I'll see you in the morning, son," she told me.

I nodded and let myself into my own room, where Piper had actually stayed for once. She didn't follow me on Watch tonight. It's going to be hard to leave her behind when we leave tomorrow. She's going to stay with the Westovers – Ersken volunteered his family since Cel, Rosson, and Anjier have been begging him for a dog. That way, they'll get a taste of what they're asking for, and I get someone to take care of my puppy.

Well, I suppose I need to finish packing now, since me, Ma, and Rinny are leaving just after dawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song in this chapter was Robyn's Song (alternately titled Do I Miss You in some cases) from the Tom and Jerry movie.


	13. To Scanra

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Tortall

April 27, 267

After lunch

Well, at this point, it's exhilarating, but I'm tired. This is only my second trip out of Corus. The only other time was when Ma took me to Port Caynn, and that was years ago.

The first thing that happened this morning was that my shutters burst open ( _again_ ) and pigeons flapped into the room, scattering feathers and waking both me and Piper. _Wonderful,_ I thought, _just what I need. Woken up by pigeons again. Can't a cove wake up on his own for once?_ I shooed them out again, and closed the shutters. It was just after dawn. I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, only to be interrupted by a knock on my door.

"Go away," I groaned.

"Jarred, get up," Ma said through the door. "I mean it. If you don't get up, we're going to get a late start, and we'll never catch that cove. Get. Up. Now." I groaned again, and hauled myself out of bed, taking Piper with me. I let her out the door, then changed and put a few last minute things in my pack. The last thing I grabbed was the flute Ma had given me.

Finally done, I picked up the pack and headed downstairs. Ma was already down there with Aniki and they were putting things on the table, whether it was for breakfast or for the trip. There was some fruit and some other stuff in packages on one side of the table by an open pack, and some Yamani rolls nearby. I glanced at them, only to see that they were chatting animatedly. I rolled my eyes and put my pack down on a chair. I sat down at the counter and watched them talk for a while, eating the Yamani roll that Corcoran had offered me. They stopped when Rinny walked in with a pack over her shoulder, leading the cove who had answered the door when I'd run to tell her about Ria's information. Obviously, he was her husband.

Ma introduced them to Aniki while I just kept eating. Piper nudged my foot and whistled, bringing everyone's attention to me. I frowned and shrugged, picking my dog up. I fed her some of the roll that was still on my plate, and petted her. I was going to miss Piper, and I knew it was probably going to be several weeks before I saw her again. At that matter, I already miss her, and it's only just after lunch.

After a moment, they started talking again. Mots talk alot. Rinny's husband watched them silently, raising an eyebrow when she exuberantly gestured about whatever they were talking about. We exchanged glances as they continued to talk animatedly. Finally, they stopped and Ma went back to packing up the food that was out on the table. Aniki said sommat about going out to get something. Rinny and her husband helped Ma out, while I carried Piper out the door.

"Now, Piper, you're not coming," I told her. She put her ears back and gave me a displeased look.

" _Piper want to come. Why Piper not go?"_ She asked.

"I don't want you to get hurt. Ma, Rinny, and me are going far away, and you have to stay here." I replied. "You have to be good for Ersken and his family, alright?" I looked at her sternly.

" _Cat-Cat going?"_ She asked. I frowned, wondering who she meant until it hit me. Pounce was 'Cat-Cat' – he is The Cat, after all. I sighed.

"I don't know. That's up to him and Ma," I said. Piper whined, pouting. I smiled at her when she turned her bronze eyes on me, trying to get me to let her go with us. "Don't even think about it, Piper. You're not going. You can help Ersken on his Watch, alright?" Piper looked very annoyed, but she let me carry her to the Westovers without any more objections.

When I knocked on the door, there was a great commotion inside, and Alania answered the door, with all of her siblings behind her. She smiled softly at me before Rosson pushed past her.

"Thank you for letting us borrow your puppy, Jarred," he said. I grinned.

"I should be thanking you since you're taking care of her while I go off on my assignment," I said in reply. Kora came up behind them, wiping her hands on a towel.

"You're leaving soon, then?" She asked. I nodded. "Ersken and I will come over to say goodbye to Beka in a little while. Will you tell her that?" I nodded again.

"'Course I will," I said. I turned to Rosson, who was scratching Piper behind the ears. "You take good care of her for me, alright?" I said. Rosson grinned and nodded eagerly.

"We will," he said. I squeezed Piper a little bit, giving her a hug, then a kiss on the head.

"Be good, Piper. I'll see you soon," I whispered in her ear. I scratched her behind the ears once more before handing her over to the youngster, who immediately retreated into the house with Piper over his shoulder.

" _Bye-bye, Jarred. See you soon,"_ she yipped sadly. Kora smiled half-heartedly before disappearing back into the house. Alania smiled at me again as I watched.

"Take care, Jarred," she said softly. I smiled back.

"I will. You, too, Alania," I said. She blushed and disappeared into the house, closing the door behind her. I walked back home, pondering what she had said. When I got back, there were two black horses and a grey pony tied up outside. Somehow, I got the feeling that I was going to be the one riding the pony, and not acos I've never ridden in my life. I have, though it was with Ma when she took me to Port Caynn and we were riding on the same horse.

Ma and Aniki were saddling the horses, and Rinny was inside, putting the last of the food into a pack. I heard a noise behind me and turned to see Ma and Aniki reentering the Dove. Ma put her hand on my shoulder.

"You've taken your dog to Kora and Ersken, then?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yes, and Kora said that she and Ersken would be over soon to say goodbye to you."

"Good. You're all packed and ready to head out when it's time?" I nodded again. "Alright, good job," she said. "We'll head out soon."

After that, I just waited. Rinny and Ma did whatever else they had to do. Kora and Ersken showed up and talked with Ma for a while, then gave both of us a hug and told us to be careful.

Once they had left, the Lord Provost showed up. He gave some final orders to Ma and Rinny, while I stayed where I was and talked to Corcoran. Since he was busy in the kitchen, he really couldn't do much talking, so I was a bit bored.

"Jarred, grab your pack. It's time to go," Ma called.

"Coming!" I called back. I grabbed my pack and practically ran out the door. Ma was already up on one of the horses, though Rinny was struggling to get into the saddle of the other one. The horses were about the perfect height for someone like Ma, who's about 5'8", but Rinny, who's barely five feet tall, was a little short for the horse. Some of my things were already attached to the pony's saddle, and Ma gave me a look and nodded towards the pony. I grimaced, but hauled myself into the saddle. The pony snorted and turned its head to nip at my leg, giving me an annoyed look. I just shrugged. Rinny finally just gave up and made a face.

"Kai, I need help," she called to her husband. He grinned, walked over, and hoisted her into the saddle. "Thank you," she said. She leaned down and whispered in his ear. His grin grew wider as she did, then she gave him a kiss on the cheek, and kicked the horse lightly. Ma and I did the same, and we were off.

The excitement is wearing thin already…I might as well be walking this pony is so short. For Mithros' sake, I'm the tallest one here, and I'm on the _pony_. I should be on a horse, and Rinny should be on the pony acos she looks like she would prefer not to be so high off the ground (she is actually rather green – I'm not kidding). I think I'm going to go ask Ma about that…

Later, around Watch time

Okay, so it wasn't the smartest idea to ask Ma. She glanced over her shoulder when I kicked the pony into a trot to catch up to her.

"Ma, why am I on the pony?" I asked. She narrowed her eyes slightly, then turned to me, looking a little annoyed.

"Because the only time you've ever ridden a horse, you were riding with me, and you were seven." I looked at the rode ahead, then back at her.

"But why am I riding the _pony_ , when I'm the tallest one here?" She slumped her shoulders, and lowered her head, then raised it again and looked at me in an irritated fashion.

"Because. You have never ridden a horse on your own before."

"Can I switch with you and see if I like riding a horse?" I asked hopefully. She gave me a 'shut-your-gob' look.

"No." I groaned.

"Aw, Ma, are you sure you dinna want to switch with me? I feel like I might as well be walking, this pony's so short." She glared at me.

"Jarred, for the last time. You couldn't sit on a horse if it was a rocking chair. You're a bit like Goodwin in that. Now stop insulting your pony, he dinna like it." As if to make a point, the pony snorted again. I rolled my eyes.

Rinny glanced at me, with an expression that told me that she would be more than willing to trade. She opened her mouth to say something, but Ma silenced her with a look. She shrugged and gave me a 'she's-in-charge' look. I hate it when that happens. So, I'm still riding the pony, who is short enough that I can't actually sit here comfortably with my feet in the stirrups. If this is the way the rest of the trip goes, it's going to be a long, long ride…


	14. Boredom and Dreams

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Tortall

April 28, 267 

I don't like ponies anymore. Or, at least, the one that came on the trip with us. When I dismounted and went to tie it up tonight, it bit me! Right on the arm, too. I yelped, but it wouldn't let go.

"Ma! Some help, please?" I called, about screaming in pain. I shoved my fist in my mouth to prevent myself from doing so. Ma ducked under her horse and moved over to the pony's head. She stroked the pony, whispering in his ear soothingly. I winced loudly as she did. Those teeth are sharper than they look. It took a minute, but slowly, the pony let go of my arm. There was a large gash where his teeth had sunk into my skin. Ma stroked the pony's head for another moment before she turned her attention to me. By then, I was checking the wound. She moved around the pony and put her hand on my arm, just below the gash. I winced slightly as she examined it without a word.

"It's not too bad. You need to be more careful, Jarred. Now come on, I need to clean and bandage that wound for you," she said. She went over to one of her packs and pulled a kit from it. Then she pulled me (by my good arm) over to a log, where she made me sit. The first thing she did was dab an ointment on the gash, and, Mithros, did it sting. I winced again, violently. Ma glanced up and frowned. After a moment, her eyes clouded and she looked down again, but not before I saw the far off look in her eyes once again. She dabbed a few more things on the wound before she bound it in a clean white bandage.

"There you go. Now go apologize to your pony. He wouldn't have bitten you without a reason," she said sternly. I nodded and got up, thinking as I walked over to the pony.

That look is the one she gets whenever she's thinking about Da. She probably used to help him whenever he got hurt. It seems like everything I do lately reminds her of him. While Ma and Rinny got things out, I went over to the pony and apologized. He bobbed his head and tried to nip me again. I jumped back and rolled my eyes before walking over to the fire they were setting up.

Then Ma pulled burlap from pack, walked over to her horse, knelt down and began to tie the cloth loosely to its hooves with some twine. When she was done, she looked up at me and smiled slightly.

"I'm going on ahead, to see if I can find the Scanran. Even if we did see his silhouette not too far off, I want to make sure that he's not going to get away from us. If you'll find some firewood and help Rinny with the fire, and getting dinner ready, then we'll be able to eat not too long after I get back," she said, standing up and brushing the dirt from her hands. I nodded and went off to find some firewood after she remounted the horse and disappeared down the road.

By the time Ma got back, it was well past dusk and into the beginning of the night. She dismounted slowly, tied her horse up, and took care of it (brushing it, giving it dinner, and such). I noticed that she seemed to be rather stiff when she walked over to the small fire that Rinny and I had built.

While she had been gone, Rinny and I managed to catch a couple of rabbits (I still don't know how we got them, to be honest, it's like they didn't see us at all…) – I put her share on a plate and brought it over to her. Ma smiled gratefully at me as she pulled a knife and a fork from one of her packs. While she was going that, I sat down behind her. She glanced back at me, but I made a motion for her to turn her head back, which she did, with an odd expression on her face.

I figured that she could use a little bit of relaxation since she was obviously stressed, and it was my duty as her son to make sure that it happened. So, while she ate, I rubbed her shoulders for her. Which, I might add, were very tense. By the time I was done, she had her head leaned back and seemed so relaxed that she was going to fall asleep.

"Thank you, son," she murmured. She got up to put her dinner dishes away and then went to curl up in her bedroll, without even writing in her journal. She was asleep before I had even gotten up. So, I picked up my dinner, which was warming by the fire, ate it, and have been writing my day down by the light of the fire. Now, the fire's almost out, and my arm hurts where that bloody pony bit me. I'm off to bed.

April 30, 267

Almost nothing happened yesterday. Well, Rinny and I switched, so now I'm on the horse and she's on the pony, because of my incident with the pony a couple of days ago. The pony likes her. Typical. I hate that pony. I swear, _it_ was giving me an evil look this morning!

This morning, however, something did happen. I was up before Ma and Rinny, so I was getting the fire going again for breakfast. I was just dumping a big piece of a fallen tree Ma and I found last night when I heard a noise behind me. I glanced back to see Ma tossing in her bedroll. Her face and arms were covered in sweat despite the light tunic she had worn to bed.

"No!" She cried. Even asleep, tears had started rolling down her cheeks. She was having a nightmare. She's has them from time to time and they've always been bad. I don't know exactly what's so bad about them. She never told me about any of them.

 _Wake her up,_ something meowed behind me. I whirled to see the purple-eyed, black-furred cat who had said that. _You need to wake her up before it gets any worse,_ he mewed, _she won't thank you if you let her keep having that nightmare._

"Please, no. No, no, no, no, no…" Ma pleaded with something in her dream, tossing and turning even more violently. I moved closer and put my hand on her shoulder, trying to shake her awake gently. Her eyes flew open, and she started. Her chest heaved as she watched me, her blue eyes wide. She swallowed, still trying to catch her breath, and sat up. I gave her a quick hug, which she gratefully accepted. "Thank you, Jarred," she said quietly when I had pulled back. I nodded.

"Not a problem. I love you, Ma," I said. She grinned and gave me another swift hug before disappearing to the stream we had found to change and wash up.

I proceeded to wake Rinny, who had slept through the whole thing. I have to say, she's a pretty heavy sleeper…

While they were off getting ready for the day, I looked at Pounce, who had curled up by the fire. He hadn't come with us, so his arrival and telling me what to do wasn't something I had expected.

"How did you get here, Pounce?" I asked him. He lifted his head and turned his violet glims on me.

 _Beka needed me. I'm The Cat - a constellation. I can get out of any locked room, and away from almost anything if I want to. You'll do well to remember that,_ he meowed. _Your dog can do that, too, but she won't, because you old her not to. She is completely loyal to you and only you. That's why she's The Hunter's Companion. Because she's the most loyal constellation out there, she won't leave you if you don't make her. You're lucky to have her. She doesn't get sent to humans often,_ he continued. He put his head back down and went back to sleep until Ma came back. Then he got up and padded over to her, meowing demands to be petted. She smiled and complied to his demands, glancing up to look at me once. I grinned and shook my head.

Well, that's really the only thing that happened today. This trip is actually rather boring so far. I asked Ma how long the trip would be around lunch time. She thought for a moment, then told me it would be about _three weeks_. I'm not sure I like this trip anymore…

May 4, 267, Beltane

Two weeks to go…

I am so bored. It's not even funny anymore. There's absolutely nothing to do whatsoever. I mean, there's writing in my journal, but there's nothing to record. Pounce sleeps, Ma doesn't talk, and Rinny is also bored out of her mind.

I wonder what my friends are doing. It's been over a month since Kalir and Lily went to live at Goldenlake. I wonder if they're doing okay….

And Elaine and Robbie…Elaine will have Watch tonight. She had best be careful…I can remember what Ma said about Beltane being one of the worst times for the Dogs because of all of the Rats running around. That and Midwinter. I can remember a few of those days where she came home with bruises or broken bones acos the Rats were so bad.

I miss my friends, I miss my nice soft bed, I miss my dog. I miss the Dancing Dove and Aniki, and Tay…I miss Corus and my Watch…even the Rats. I have to say that I'm a bit homesick right now…and bored….very, very bored…

* * *

From the journal of Rosto the Piper  
King of the Rogue in Tortall  
Somewhere in Scanra

December 21?, 265

It's Midwinter. It's cold, and painful in more ways than just the bitter chill in the air. I can still remember the first Midwinter I had with Beka. I miss those times. I miss Beka. It's been so long, but I can still see her face in my mind. That, I am thankful for. I can still see her in my dreams..

I had a very strange one last night – I don't know if it was real or not, to be honest. First, I was standing in a cloudy area, and I noticed a figure next to me. Gainel, the Dream King. He nodded to me, and the scene changed. Corus. My eyes widened.

It was the Daymarket in the Lower City of Corus. I'd know that street anywhere. I glanced around, noting that no one so much as glanced my way. My gaze turned back to the god who stood near me. His eyes flicked down the street, as an indication of where he wanted me to look. I did.

I saw a mot wandering down the street. Ghost eyes and dark blond hair caught my attention. Beka. It was Beka. A surge of elation ran through me. It was instantly disbursed when I felt a hand on my shoulder. The Dream King shook his head. I glanced back at her, seeing just a flash of sadness in her face before a cove came running up behind her. His hair was a light blond color, and his eyes were dark; she smiled at him and accepted what he handed her and placed it in the basket.

Watching that, a wave of grief washed over me. I had hoped for so long that she had at least moved on and had found happiness with someone else. The realization that she actually had hurt more than I thought it would. Our love wasn't even something that was supposed to exist. I was the Rogue, and she a Dog; even if we considered the fact that we did the same job, just in a different ways, it still wasn't supposed to happen. But it did. All of those reasons for us not to be together flew out the door when we fell in love. But it wasn't meant to be. Elsewise, I would be there with her instead of rotting in prison. I don't even know why I'm here; but my hope disappeared long ago. How I'm still alive, I don't know, but I don't think I'll last too much longer. My reasons for living on are far away, and it is not likely that I will go free. Not after this long.

At the end of all of this, I still love her. Beka's heart belonged to me before anyone else. And she had mine; she still holds mine, even if she doesn't know it. If I had a choice to go back and change that decision, I wouldn't. I would die a thousand times before changing what happened between me and Beka. That was the part of my life that was worth living.

Memories and dreams are all I have now. All I ever will. Just memories and dreams…


	15. Life on the Road

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Tortall

May 10, 267

I am so bloody _bored_. Ma never said that it would take so long to get to Scanra. We've been on the road for near two weeks, and we've still got a week to go. The Scanran we're chasing has been keeping a good pace, but we're not going all that fast. Add that to the fact that he could be going to the Far North in Scanra, we could be riding for _weeks_ longer…

As I've said before, there's nothing to go. Ma won't talk to me or Rinny. She just rides on, with that far off look on her face. Rinny is bored out of her mind as much as I am. We've gone through every game either of us knows, tried to make Pounce wake up, and everything else we can think of.

The only thing remotely interesting that's happened in the last few days, besides that it rained all of yesterday, was that I managed to fall asleep on my horse. A couple of days ago, I'd spent the whole night up acos I couldn't sleep for some reason. So, I've got the reins in my hands and I can feel my eyes drooping. I'm ridding next to Ma, mind you. Every time I start to nod off, I wake myself up, only then I fell asleep. I wasn't aware of anything until I felt a boot connect with my knee. It wasn't a hard strike, but Ma had kicked my hard enough to scare me. I yelped and fell off the horse. Since it had rained the day before, it was muddy where I landed. I picked myself up and glared at Ma, who had her hand over her mouth and was shaking with silent laughter. Obviously, she hadn't expected me to fall off. Rinny was laughing, too, but not like Ma was. She was giggling and clutching her side. That was the first interesting thing that had happened in days, so I can understand why it was amusing for her. Ma, though, I didn't understand. She usually doesn't laugh when things like that happen to me.

Then an idea hit me. I smirked at her and she went silent, her eyes widened slightly and she seemed to pale just a little. I reached down and scraped a glob of mud from my boots, my eyes never leaving hers. Then I flung the handful of mud at her. She yelped and ducked. Her horse pinned its ears and backed up a little, but didn't spook when the mud made a big _splat_ against her side. Ma sat up and glared at me. I just gave her a challenging look and led my horse over to a nearby tree. I tied it up by the lead rope and pulled the bridle off, seeing Ma do the same on the other side of the road.

The resulting mud fight ended with Ma victorious. I would have won if Rinny had helped me. She almost did, until she got hit in the face with some mud. Ma and I went to wash off in a nearby river before we moved on. The mud fight wasn't very long, though it ended with me completely covered in mud. Washing off took a little longer, and we ate while riding, since Ma and I both had a change of clothes handy. Rinny didn't have to change, since she didn't get mud on her clothes, just her face. So, we were back on the road without losing too much time. It was fun, though. We had dinner at an inn last night, which was a change. Usually, we've been eating around the fire, as we're going to do tonight, so it was a welcome change.

May 16, 267

Ma says we're close to Scanra now. Well, she said that a few days ago, but there's been nothing to write down to go with it until now. We've been on the road for almost three weeks and I'm getting tired of riding a horse. I like my horse and all, but my legs and behind hurt from being in the saddle for so long every day. We haven't stopped at all aside from dusk. Every night, we stop and Ma rides ahead to make sure that we're not losing the Scanran we're chasing. When she gets back, we have dinner and sometimes I'll rub her shoulders, depending on whether she wants it or not (generally, she does want me to if I ask her).

I've noticed that as we draw closer to Scanra, Ma becomes quieter and quieter. She hasn't spoken a word to me or Rinny in three days. I'm starting to wonder if this case is bringing up too many memories for her. She's been thinking like that for more than a week and a half. I think I was right about Da being Scanran. It does make me wonder if maybe he and Ma actually did go to Scanra for some reason or another. It could also be that it just reminds her of him acos of he was from Scanra and all. I don't know, to be honest. I'm just guessing. It's an interesting puzzle to try to figure out, and I've been so bored on this trip that I'm willing to do about anything to get rid of the boredom.

Now that I think of it, Ma has been acting a little strangely. Not only has she been drifting off, but she's just been staring at the fire and picking at her food for the last couple of days. Not to mention, she's been unusually harsh towards me and Rinny.

Yesterday was rather dark and gloomy, and Rinny and I had taken care of the fire. Ma was watching the flames as they moved and flickered while Rinny pulled out some deer meet I had purchased while we were in the last town we had gone through. Rinny was humming for a few minutes before she looked up at me and Ma.

"Why don't we sing a song or sommat to keep the gloom away?" She asked cheerfully. Ma turned and gave her an icy look. Rinny winced slightly, putting the knife she was using to cut the meat down.

"You know what, forget it. With those ghost eyes watching out, ain't nothing as gonna come close to here," she said uncomfortably. Her expression was one of eye-rolling without having to do the action. I about laughed, but thought better of it when I saw the look on Ma's face – she wasn't happy at all. In fact, she looked rather upset. After a moment, she scooted away from the fire and pulled her bedroll over to where she was in the shadows. I got up and went to get another log from our pile to put on the fire. When I looked back at her, Ma had slipped into her bedroll and had her face buried in her arms. Her back was shaking with silent sobs. I frowned for a moment before walking quietly over and sitting down next to her. She didn't look up at me.

I put a comforting hand on her back and just moved it, trying to help her calm down. It's strange, really. Her control has been breaking down a bit more lately. Not just on the ride, but since I became a Puppy. Maybe it's just that she's worried about me and stressed out, but I really don't think so. I think this is also about Da and how it's been hard for her to deal with him being gone for eighteen years. She deserves to be able to cry, but she didn't have to be sharp with Rinny. She was just trying to cheer us up a bit being as it's been so gloomy.

May 18, 267

The only thing exciting I can think of is that Ma says we're in Scanra (I still don't know how she knows whether or not we are actually in Scanra or not). There's still nothing to do, and I'm as bored as can be. Why am I always bored? I'm never bored at home. I guess that's acos I have friends at home, and things I can do. I've taken to practicing with the flute in the last couple of days, but that doesn't help much acos I only know two or three songs that I can actually play so far.

I hope we're getting close to where the cove is going. We've closed the distance between us and him to only about a quarter of a mile. We're just far enough away that he hasn't noticed us, but we're close enough that we can see him now without having to look too hard. I hope we're getting close. This isn't fun at all anymore, and I want to actually do sommat exciting. I can honestly say that I'm not looking forward to the trip back…


	16. Gone

From the journal of Rebakah Cooper,  
Provost's Guardswoman,  
In Scanra

May 23, 267

I'm in a panic. I can't believe what I've gone and done. I'm mad at myself, acos I'm an awful mother, and a right awful Dog. Where do I begin to explain what's happened to me? Where can I begin to explain, how much torment I'm in? My mind, my thoughts, are everywhere.

It has been a long time since I got to thinking about the difference between Beka and Guardswoman Cooper. The last time it was important, well, that was those few days after Rosto disappeared, when I was having such a hard time. Now I have a war going on in my head. But how could I do this? I told myself I'd love him, protect him, I'm his mother for goodness sake? How could I lose the most important person in my life? Jarred, he's gone missing.

As a mother, I'm beating myself for this: I dealt with losing Rosto – because I had to. Oh, gods! How could I let this happen? Just as it was with Rosto, I'm torn in two different directions: duty and love.

Rosto and I weren't supposed to fall in love, but as much as I knew that it was my duty not to, I couldn't. He was dangerous, a hard cove, but he was also just Rosto, who could be as sweet as a newborn kitten. In fact, it _was_ my duty not to fall in love with the Rogue. I was just supposed to be watching him for the Dogs, acos the only safe place from the Rogue was with the Rogue. I loved him anyway. I can't help but wonder if that attraction would still have been there if we were both Dogs or both rogues. That's not something that I can see as important anymore. We did fall in love, and that's what got us here. He's gone, and I'm alone. I had Jarred, and I love him dearly, but it's not the same as having Rosto.

I suppose what Clary told me all those years ago, right after I lost Rosto, is true. What doesn't kill me will only make me stronger. As much as it still hurts, I could, and still can, go on without him. Without Rosto. That is the path I've been forced to walk, and I'll gladly continue on it. I wouldn't change what happened for the world, because if I did, then I wouldn't have Jarred, and I wouldn't have had the love Rosto and I shared. Things wouldn't have been the same.

I had Jarred to live for. My baby, my son. OUR son. Rosto's and mine. I've lived with that pain for years, but now, now I don't know what I'm going to do. Jarred is all I have left; he's my son. I honestly don't think I would be alive if it wasn't for Jarred.

As Beka, I can't help but worry about Jarred as my son, my only child. As Guardswoman Cooper, I know I have work to do and I can't let a blood relationship get in the way. Think of him as a Dog, Beka. I keep telling myself. He saved my life when he was thirteen – if he hadn't shouted at me to turn around, I know I would have gotten doused by that Rat. Oh, I hope he's alright.

No, no, I can't let the fact that he's my son get in the way of this. Jarred's a good young Dog who can take care of himself. You don't need to worry about him, Beka, he's going to be fine. Who am I kidding? How can I not worry? And even if I don't, I know Goodwin's going to kill me, as a Dog. I let Rinny's Puppy get kidnapped while we were on duty. Goodwin's going to have my head for this for sure.

Now, it's my duty to find the cove who killed Kindan. Kindan was nice enough to me when I was living with Lord Gershom. He was my foster brother, after all. I never knew him well, though. It's my duty to hunt down his killer, not my son. As much as it hurts, I know what I have to do. I can't go after Jarred. I have to let him take care of himself. He's fully capable of doing that. He's seventeen and old enough to take care of himself. He's not the little babe I held in my arms after he was born anymore. I can't mother him like I did then. I think his disappearance is another step for me, too. For so long, Jarred is all I've had, I've grown far too used to his presence. Part of me knows that eventually he's going to move out of the Dove, wed a gixie he falls in love with, and have a life entirely of his own. I won't be the main presence in his life then. It's a fact that I have to face, and I've been pushing away for years now. My baby doesn't need me anymore. It's just a fact that I'm finally realizing the full extent of. Jarred's all grown up, and a Dog in his own right. I have to learn to let go all over again, I suppose. It's time that I did.

Now I've lost both of them. First Rosto, now Jarred. They're both just gone, vanished into thin air.

At least with Jarred there are signs that he was here, alive even. When we were searching the woods for him, I found the dagger I gave him. The one that he always has at his belt. He never takes it off, or puts it farther than an arm's length away from his bedside. It glinted at me, which was how we spotted it. But the dagger ain't in its sheath, meaning Jarred's somewhere, unarmed. There was a net, the main rope frayed at one end where it had been cut, at the base of the same tree I found the dagger at. There was no blood on the nets, which means that Jarred got caught in the trap, cut the net down, made enough noise to alert someone, and they got him out and hauled him away.

Not too far away, Rinny found a sprung bear trap with a large branch in its jaws. The strange part is that it was a green branch. There was no reason for it to have fallen on its own, and it hadn't been cut. Luckily, no bear tracks in the vicinity. But still, very strange.

So I can assume that he was alive when someone found him. Dear Mother Goddess, I hope I'm right. No, I am right. If he was dead, whoever it was would just leave him there as bait for the bear trap. _Gruesome thoughts get you nowhere, Beka. He's alive. You're a Dog, sniff for clues._

Normally, Dogs don't work in forested areas, especially if they're assigned to different districts in Corus. But we're taught how to track, on occasion, a scummer will flee across districts and into the Royal Forest. So we gotta be fast enough to follow, and know enough to track. Looking around, there wasn't many broken branches, except the ones from the trap. It means he didn't struggle, there's no signs of struggle. Now if he was awake or conscious, he'd struggle, leave a path for us to follow. He's either unconscious, or perhaps drugged. But that means whoever took him, wants him alive. Alive.

Near the same stop, she also found boot prints, one of which I recognized as my son's. At least I know he's alive, or was not too long ago. That's more than I can say for Rosto. _This is good. A monstrously huge problem, which will certainly get me and Rinny in trouble when we return to Corus, but its good. Jarred's clever, he'll keep himself alive._

I've got to remain positive. Knowing Jarred, he'll probably time his escape so that he finds us just when we need his help the most. He'll come in battered, but his eyes blazing and ready to take apart whatever enemy is in his way. _Great Mother Goddess, please let me find my son,_ I prayed fervently as we continue moving.

I appeal to my patron god, the only patron god I've ever served in all my years of working as a Dog _. Please, merciful Black God, do me this one thing, I beg of you. Keep him alive, don't take my son._

* * *

From the journal of Rosto the Piper,  
Ex-King of the Rogue  
Southern Scanra

May 24?, 267

I've sat in this prison cell for over eighteen years. Not a day goes by that I don't think of Beka. Not a day. Other thoughts fill my mind, because there is nothing to do but think and write. It always comes back to her. It's all that keeps me sane, now. I only have my sanity because of her, but even those memories are beginning to fade. Some days, I barely remember that there was a time when I wasn't here. For that matter, that I spent twenty-five years of my life in freedom, or that the last three of those were the best in my life. That was the time when I was at my happiest. I think I can still remember the events of those days if I try.

My time grows short. I have felt that for years – since my hope disappeared. Every day, something draws closer, and the only thing it could be at this point, is the possibility of my death. I've long since resigned myself to that.

I wonder what Beka would think if she saw me now. I wish I could see her again, even if it was just for a moment. I miss her more than anything else. I survived this long on my memories of her, and, at one time, the hope that I would see her again. Eighteen years is a long time to be separated from the mot you love.

I've gotten used to this life now. I'm used to the guards going in and out, not seeing me, just dropping a tray of that slop they call food on the miniscule table that's bolted down in the corner. I ignore them most of the time, letting my thoughts drift away, onto the Scanran ice, across the countryside, and into the heart of the Lower City, where my heart is probably getting ready for her Watch.

I was drifting, watching the clouds drift through the colors of the day's end, just wondering, when I noticed that they had opened my cell door, and thrown someone else in. Someone young, blond, and wearing the black Dogs' uniform of the Lord Provost…


	17. Captive

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
Scanra

May 25, 267

Well, I can honestly say that this is not what I had in mind when I became a Puppy. I'm sitting in a cell in a castle in Scanra. And my head hurts.

It has all happened so rapidly that just thinking about it makes my head hurt worse. I went out to get more firewood after dusk – we had used up most of what we had gathered already. I wandered off to do so before Ma or Rinny had to tell me to do it. The area we were in was not as wooded as some of the places we've camped in the recent weeks, so it was quite a bit easier to see because of the moonlight. Things were calm enough – we had not seen anyone since we had crossed the Vassa. On the other hand, that was starting to worry Ma, but maybe it is just the area we were in.

Anyway, I had gone out to get more firewood, and I had found nothing so far. I was just about to take another step when I heard something behind me. Or, at least, I thought I heard something. I'm not as sure about it now. Of course, that may be to my throbbing head.

What sounded like one of Piper's whistle-yips echoed behind me. I whirled, my mind racing. There was nothing there – no sound, no movement, and most definitely no puppy. Just then, a branch fell behind me. There was an ear-hurting _bang_ when it hit the ground. I whirled again, adrenaline pounding through my veins. I looked down to see a sprung bear trap not a foot behind where I had been standing. It was the kind with metal teeth that can break a grown cove's leg with ease if he were to step on it. I almost had.

I do wonder…was that just my imagination, or was it really Piper? Whichever it was, it probably saved my life. I took several moments to calm myself down before I went on.

The tree cover was starting to get thicker and the clouds in the night sky were drifting over the moon. Then, I tripped.

I had the feeling of tumbling for just a moment, then I was jerked up in the air. I felt a little disoriented for a few moments before I realized what had happened. I had tripped over a tree root and had fallen into a net trap, and now I was dangling in a tree. Perfect. I was stuck up a tree, literally.

I moved in the net, trying to find where it was attached to the tree trunk, while struggling to pull out my belt knife (and spinning, too). Finally, I spotted the rope that was holding the net in the tree. It was just close enough that I could get to it despite the way I was stuck in the net. I managed to get my dagger out of the sheath and started cutting my way through the rope. Surprisingly, it was extremely good quality rope, and it took me a while to cut through it, even though I keep my dagger as sharp as I can.

I was most of the way through the rope when it snapped and the net fell to the ground. I had the wind knocked out of my lungs when I hit the ground. That is not a pleasant feeling. It took me a few minutes to catch my breath. All the while, I was thinking that I was just going to go back to camp and forget the firewood when I heard something nearby in the woods. I rolled over and crouched against the tree, listening. There were footsteps and what sounded like wolves growling not too far off.

I quietly crept away from the tree (completely forgetting my dagger, which I hadn't picked up after falling down from the tree). After a few more moments, whatever it was seemed to have faded into the distance. Then a twig snapped a few feet away from me. My hand instantly flew to my baton. There was only one problem with that. I had left my baton back in my pack at camp, and all I had with me was the small satchel I kept my journal – plus my ink, quills, and a small penknife to sharpen the quills – in. A figure towered over where I was crouched in a cluster of bushes.

" _Shta tje radishli ovdije?"_ The figure growled at me. I just stared, both a little scared, and unsure how to respond. At that matter, I couldn't answer even if I wanted to. I can't understand Scanran, much less speak it. That was probably a poor choice on my part not to ask Ma to teach me. I know for a fact that she can speak Scanran – when I was ten or so, I heard her having a conversation with Aniki in Scanran. She was good enough that I almost couldn't tell her and Aniki apart through the slightly open door. If I could measure what I remember hearing against this Scanran's speech, she would be fluent, I think.

As I was staring at him, he moved forward, which caused me to scramble back. I could see a knife at his belt and a bow in his hand. Suddenly my feet were knocked out from under me and I was on my back on the ground with a knife at my throat. The first cove repeated himself, nudging me with his foot. I hesitated before speaking – I didn't think he would be able to understand it, but maybe it would help avoid me getting kicked in the head or having my throat cut.

"Uh, what?" I could see his eyes widen in the moonlight, and he barked something at the cove who had come up behind him. The only word I caught was ' _Tortalli._ ' I can only assume that he was saying that I'm Tortallan. Now, that isn't exactly true. I'm half-Tortallan, not a full-blooded Tortallan (not that he would know that). I don't know who my da was or where he was from.

The person who had a knife pressed against my throat got up, and I started to get my feet under me when something hard came crashing down on my skull. Everything went black.

I woke in a room of grey stone. There were bars over the small window near the ceiling, a tiny table bolted down in one corner, a pallet in another, and a wooden door. My head throbbed as I sat up. I was completely alone.

I was surprised to see that I still had the satchel I've been keeping my journal in. Nothing was missing either. If it had been taken or emptied, then I wouldn't be able to write in this journal.

It was quiet for a long time before anything happened. I had settled myself onto the pallet to try to get rid of the pounding headache that had come from my throbbing head. It still wasn't very comfortable, but it was better than the ground.

After a while, a guard came in and hauled me unceremoniously to my feet. He dragged me out of the cell, barking at another guard who was standing right outside. He pushed me at the other cove. All I could see were the torches on the wall. Unlike the cell, there were no windows for daylight to enter through. The hallway was dark, and it only got darker when I was blindfolded. My hands were bound tightly behind my back.

They shoved me roughly forward, which caused me to trip and hit the ground. It probably wasn't such a good idea on their part to blindfold me.

The guards dragged me up three flights of stone steps, into quite a few walls, and through a number of twists and turns. The only reason I know that much is because is from the prodding, tripping, and running into walls I did while blindfolded. Finally, they made me stop and stand still. I wasn't about to run, since I couldn't see, nor could I undo the blindfold myself, or even defend myself.

I heard muttering, but I couldn't understand anything, so I had given up long before. They prodded me forward about thirty paces before having me stop again. I was pushed to my knees, and the blindfold was removed.

The light in the room blinded me for a moment. I blinked my watering eyes, trying to make the stinging stop. When my vision cleared, I saw that I was in a room of beautiful architecture. There were stone pillars on both sides, made of what looked like granite to me, and marble steps leading up to a high dais. Not to be prejudiced or anything, but it's not the sort of architecture you'd expect from the Scanrans, but that's mainly because most people who see these castles don't live long enough to tell about it. Or they only remember the savages that hauled them through the rough and cold forests.

The cove who sat on the throne-like chair looked like he was about fifty-five or so – I've never been that good at guessing cove's ages, but I'm good enough to get relatively close. His hair was golden blond with a liberal amount of grey mixed in. From where I was, it looked like his eyes were a green-grey color. He looked severe and quite unhappy. The dark blue velvet he wore gave him some vestige of power, but it didn't look like it was natural. It looked stuffy and overdone, like he was trying to convince everyone he was supposed to dress and look like an insufferable Lord. He was probably born a commoner and somehow managed to marry into the position.

He barked something in Scanran, cold eyes fixed on me. One of the guards responded, again, with the word ' _Tortalli'_ in the mix. The man on the dais nodded, getting to his feet. He slowly made his way down the dais, never taking his eyes from me. He stopped in front of me and put his hand on my chin, forcing me to look at him. Something flashed in his eyes when our gazes met. Recognition?

"What are you doing here?" He asked in perfect Common. I jerked my chin from his grasp.

"None of your business," I snapped. He shook his head.

"Now, that isn't any way to talk to a nobleman, lad," he told me. "Tell me what I want to know, and I might let you go," he continued.

I could lie, tell him something while telling him nothing at all. But I'm not a very good liar, and I couldn't keep the entire story straight. My tongue ain't quick enough to get me out of this fix. Another Dog, Ma or Ersken, would've been clever. We're told that, if we have to come up with a story, come up with one and have all the details already planned and ready in your head. Otherwise, say nothing. So, I handled this like I would any hostage situation: say nothing.

"Never." There was something I did not like about this cove, something that told me that it was a very bad idea to tell him anything. I could put Ma in danger if I did. There was no way in the world that I was going to do that. If I resisted, all they were going to do was throw me in a cell. I could get out of that.

"Are you sure, my lad?" He asked me in a voice that made my skin crawl.

"Oh, I'm sure," I said. His almost friendly expression turned into one of absolute fury. He drew his hand back and struck the side of my face with a bejeweled hand. That hurt. I turned back to look at him with pure loathing. I could feel a warm trickle of blood drip down from the corner of my mouth.

He barked at the guards, and I was blindfolded again and hauled to me feet. Once again, they led me through the maze of halls, stairs, and turns. They led me into fewer walls, thankfully. That is, until someone barked at them in Scanran.

A pair of rough hands gripped my arms and shoved me forward. My knees hit the ground and screamed at me. I received a whack on the back of the head and whoever had taken over hauled me roughly to my feet. This guard wasn't nearly so kind – when I tripped going down a set of stairs, I was laughed at. When I ran into a wall, I was laughed at. No help whatsoever.

I really can't tell how long that went on before the blindfold was very roughly removed and the cord on my hands tightened suddenly and disappeared. I was shoved into another cell. I could instantly tell that it was a different one than the one I had been in earlier.

By now, the sun had mostly set, and the light streaming from the high barred window was much dimmer than it had been earlier. The wooden door behind me slammed and the lock clicked.

Slowly, I picked myself up from the ground, rubbing my knees, and looked around. The back of the cell was not lit by the fading sunlight. The setup of the cell was mostly the same as the one I had been in before, with only a few small differences, besides the fact that it was a bit smaller, and there was more of a hall after the door than just a room. One of the biggest differences aside from that was that the door had a heavy lock on it. One that could only be opened from outside: a pickproof lock. I couldn't help but wonder why I had been put in a cell like this one.

I glanced around the cell once again, taking in the lighted half. Then something in the darkened part caught my attention. A cove sat half in the darkness. Most of his face wasn't visible, but I could see his eyes glittering through the dark.

" _K'o sje tchi?_ " His voice was a little rough, as if he hadn't used it in a long time. The Scanran he spoke sounded more like a cross between a purr and a growl than a wolf growling, as all of the other Scanran I had heard so far since I had been caught.

"Uh…what?" I couldn't help but frown a little. It was maddening that everyone in this bleeding country spoke a language I couldn't understand a whit of.

"Ah. My apologies. I had to guess. You look like you're a Scanran, despite the uniform," he responded. His Common was more perfect than the lord's had been, right down to the lilt of his voice. It was almost like the Common of the Lower-City. "I said, 'who are you?'"

"Oh. My name is Jarred," I told him. "And who are you?" I asked.

He shifted that moment, and I could see him better. The light caught him in a way that made him look more powerful and stronger than he really was. Ma's voice echoed in my head _'Most rushers, Rogues, too, are Players at heart. They terrify folk, with petty magic, slights of hand and tricks of the light, to make themselves out as more than they are. You've sharp eyes, son, use them.'_

He let out a bitter laugh. "I don't have a name anymore," he said, pausing for a moment. "But I was once Rosto the Piper," he told me. My eyes widened and I couldn't help but utter a small gasp. The Rogue – the one who had disappeared so long ago.

He was alive. That in itself stunned me. He laughed again, the same bitter sound as before. We waited, looking at each other in silence. He didn't look that good, almost ghostly. His blond hair was almost white, the sides of it shot with grey, and it looked like it could use a good washing. He was dressed in clothes where whatever color there had been had long been washed out and faded. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his face looked skull-like and hollow. Old scars were visible, making him _almost_ terrifying. His skin was sallow and lacking any of the luminosity of health. He was also skinny: he'd been wiry and strong once, lithe like a dancer.

I could see what he had looked like, almost like a ghost-image layered over what was sitting in front of me. I could see what he was, years before, when he was the Rogue, the most powerful man in the Lower City. Behind the abuse and neglect which clung to him, I could see he'd been, what was that phrase ma used? Yes, 'handsome as the sunrise.' He would have been striking and good-looking. I'm a cove and I can say that he would've been a man that was impossible to resist.

"So you've heard of me, have you? Probably tales of how I vanished from Corus without a trace. Now you know where I ended up," he remarked cynically. "Eighteen years of torture by the dark and loneliness…" He tossed something from where he was sitting. A small book landed among a pile of others next to the pallet.

I'm still a little shocked that he, of all possible people, is stuck in the same prison cell as I am. It has been eighteen years since he disappeared from Corus, and somehow he is still alive. In a prison, in Scanra, no less. Rosto the Piper, hmm. I figure I can trust him. Ma knew him, but I ain't playing that card yet. I gotta figure out if he's favorable to the Dogs. Mind you, he doesn't strike me as someone who'd reject a helping hand. Perhaps with an ex-Rogue on my side, we can come up with something that gets us both out of here.

We don't say much else to each other, but one thought races through my head: I guess that proves Ma wrong, in a way – he disappeared in the Lower City around the same time as my father, and is still alive and as well as can be for being imprisoned. Maybe…just maybe, my Da is out there somewhere, still alive and unable to return because of something in his way, like Rosto. Maybe it's not too late; maybe there is a chance…and maybe Rosto knows something about it. And maybe, he can help me find him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scanran Dictionary
> 
> Shta tje radishli ovdije? - What are you doing here?  
> Tortalli - Tortallan  
> K'o sje tchi? - Who are you?


	18. Talking

From the Journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard of Tortall  
Scanra

May 26, 267

Evening

I can't help but wonder how Rosto managed to get used to this life. I've been in here for about a day, and there is nothing to do but talk, write, and think. How he managed eighteen years without anyone else in here, I cannot even begin to imagine. It really must have been torture for him.

I suppose I shouldn't complain. I am alive, after all. Though, admittedly, I still don't know why I'm in a cell like this. I can understand why they put the Rogue in here, because he can, and will pick locks, given half a chance. Or maybe it's that they changed the lock because he picked it or sommat.

I woke with a jerk this morning, when the door slammed. I propped myself up and looked around, blinking groggily. I did not sleep well last night. The ground is very hard and uncomfortable.

I glanced over at the other side of the cell to see Rosto carelessly sprawled on the pallet, still dead asleep. He had one arm resting above his head, and the other resting on his steadily rising and falling chest. I shifted, trying to go back to sleep, to no avail.

After a while, I heard movement behind me and rolled over to see Rosto hauling himself up from the pallet. He moved over to where there was a tray of something sitting on that tiny table. The angle I was at, as well as my eyes being just a little blurry from sleep made it a bit hard to see, but that soon cleared up. After a moment, he turned around and walked toward me, moving a little stiffly, and handed me a bowl with a wooden spoon in it. He walked back over to where he had been sitting when I had been thrown in yesterday.

Now that it was light out, it was a bit easier to see everything, him included. He really does not look very good. I wonder what they have done to him in all these years. It's very likely that he has been through more than I can ever imagine.

I looked at the contents of the bowl, pushing the wooden spoon around a few times. It was an unappetizing grey-tan color, like oatmeal, only rather disgusting. I took a bite and about spat it out. I had to force myself to swallow it and made a face. I put the bowl on the ground and pushed it away, completely disgusted. A light chuckle sounded from the other side of the cell. I shot a glare at Rosto, who was smirking at me.

"Not very good, is it?" He asked. I shook my head. "I couldn't stand the stuff when I first tried it either; you get used to it eventually. Besides, after a while, you get hungry enough to eat anything." He let out another bitter sound and looked out the small window while eating whatever it was in the bowl. Obviously, he would know from experience.

There was silence for a good long time after that. I couldn't help thinking about Ma. What are she and Rinny doing without me? I can only hope that they are going after that cove, and not falling behind because of my stupidity.

I glanced over at Rosto to see that he was still staring out the high window, but now his eyes were far off. It was kind of like the look Ma has had for the last couple of months. After a few moments, he sighed and shifted, reaching for the book he had tossed into the pile yesterday. That was when I noticed the fact that there were other things near the pile. Bottles of ink, quills, and a few other things were scattered around the area.

"How long have you been here?" I asked. He stopped in mid-reach and frowned at me.

"Excuse me?"

"I asked how long you had been here," I said. He paused, thinking.

"A little less than eighteen years and two months," he replied after a moment's thought. He picked up the book and placed it in his lap, his dark eyes locked on me.

"Do you know why you're here?" He looked away, then looked back at me, and shook his head.

"No. I don't. I've only been out of this cell about five times in those eighteen years, and only once in nearly a decade – excluding a few times that I would rather not talk about," he paused, looking away with a shiver and horror in his eyes. He cleared his face and looked back at me. "After I picked the lock three times, they changed it, so I can't pick it. The other two times were when I was allowed to get clean," he said. His voice faded, as he looked away again. After a moment, he looked back at me again, his face completely neutral.

"Now tell me. Why are you here? You're obviously a Dog. Well, a Puppy, judging from your uniform, and a Tortallan one at that." I blinked at him a few times. I hadn't expected him to ask me that. I mentally chided myself. He's the former King of the Rogue, so he has to be smart. I guess I wasn't expecting the question because I figured that 18 years of sitting in a cell would turn your brain to mush, or at least, to the color and texture of our breakfast. Then again, maybe that's what we were eating. Other prisoner's brains: perhaps it's a delicacy. Or perhaps not.

Of course it's only natural that he would ask a question like that. I figured I could trust him with that much information, but I decided to leave out any names, just so I could bide my time on whether I could actually trust him or not.

"I'm on a case with one of my Dogs and her temporary partner. We're chasing a cove who murdered a nobleman in the Lower City," I told him. His eyes sparked a little at the mention of the Lower City. That was his home when he lived in Corus after all.

"You report to Jane Street, then?" He asked. I nodded. There was a flash of emotion on his face before it quickly returned to the neutral expression from earlier. "Who are your Dogs?"

I paused, wondering if I should tell him. It wasn't like he would know more than Rinny's surname, if only from her uncle Nyler.

"Arina Jewel and Taylor Prince." He nodded, obviously filing the information in his mind for later reference. He hesitated a moment before speaking up again. He was obviously very interesting in my being a Dog – er, Puppy – from the Jane Street Kennel. I wonder why…

"Jewel. Undoubtedly one of Nyler Jewel's brood. More children than Lockhorn, that one. Still, he's bloody terrifying in investigation. I wonder…do you know what's happened to Clary Goodwin, Mattes Tunstall, or Ersken Westover?" He inquired. Another name hung on his tongue, but I could tell he was avoiding it, like it was a painful wound he dinna want to bump. I could tell that there was something more that he wanted to ask, but he was refraining from doing so. I nodded.

"Yes – all of them. They're all still alive. Goodwin is the Watch Sergeant; she and Tunstall still walk Watch together, though. Ersken married his mage sweetheart, um, a mot by the name of…"

"Koramin Ingensra, or Kora, as it was," Rosto interrupted, chuckling.

"They've a handful of children together." I stopped there, and waited to see if he would ask more questions or fall into silence. His eyes were suddenly far off again.

"Seems she got her litter of puppies," he said with a quiet chuckle. He looked out the window again, then let out a sigh and reached for a quill and ink near his pile. "I know you're a Puppy, and you probably don't know that much, but what about the Rogue?"

"Well, Rogue Aniki is as fierce a mot as any, with a woman's sense of justice and vengeance and such. She's neat, if a bit frugal, and she was only arrested once." I said, and I watched as, for a brief second, Rosto's eyes sparkled with a laugh he wouldn't utter, or a smile he wouldn't share. Didn't matter, his eyes laughed and smiled for him.

"She still use the Dove?" He asked, a glaze coming over his eyes.

"Erm. Yes. The Dove's had pretty much the same household for the past decade. Only Kora ever left." He had picked up a pen, but wasn't writing yet. His fingers twitched on the quill, and he held it in two hands, almost as though it wasn't a quill. I guess he held it, like a pipe, a flute. _I have this man's pipe, it's in my pack right now._

"And Cooper?" His voice was cool when he said ma's name, my name, like he was just checking on an old friend. "How is the Terrier?"

"Oh no one's called her that for a while, least, not to her face." I couldn't say much, else I'd give way that I knew Ma in a more than personal way. "Says she can't be a Rat catcher, if the Rats are all mice. And she won't 'hunt' Aniki, acos she ain't big enough a Rat." _There,_ I thought to myself, _news for him, but nothing so personal that it might give away that I'm her son._ "People keep trying to make up songs about her, but they fail miserably."

"Common folk can't make up a song about someone as exceptional as the Terrier." Rosto muttered with a scoff. He dinna say anything after that. Just sort of looked out the high window, I think it's started to rain, and his fingers just barely twitched over the pen he was holding.

"Why were you called Rosto the Piper?" I asked him, thinking so intently on the way his hands moved. I could imagine those hands flying over the soft wood of the pipe in my bag, and the speed and grace at which music would have flowed from the wooden instrument. Lively jigs, sweet lyrical love songs like the Water Song, long rowdy ballads, like Lankin's Willow.

"Well, I was rather handy with a pipe. Could play a song so lovely, the gods would cry." He put his hands determinedly back down, trying to keep the fingers still.

"What were you playing?" I ask him. He looked confused and I nodded towards his hands. "Your hands, they were moving over that there quill. I imagine you was playing something." He shook his head, a very tiny dimple of a smile gracing one cheek, and only for a second. He stayed quiet.

While he sat, reading the previous page of his journal, I went to my bag and pulled out the oilskin tube in which Callingbird was waiting. I pulled the pipe out of its case, pulling back the cloth which has been keeping the dust off. I fingered it for a moment, but I realized that Rosto wasn't looking at me. Steeling myself, I walked over to him, and held the flute out to him. He didn't look at me. I twitched the flute and Rosto's body tensed, and I could see his forearms. I twitched the flute again. Rosto looked up and his eyes locked onto the flute in front of him.

' _He recognizes it'_ zipped through my mind as Rosto's jaw dropped. I had thought of leaving Callingbird at home, but I'd brought it with me, even though I knew I wouldn't be able to practice it. This was why. Callingbird wanted her real master back, she wanted Rosto. Lady Fate knew we would be tossed together, and Callingbird was to go back to her original owner.

Rosto's hands shook, just barely, as he reached for the flute, as though it would vanish if he moved too fast. He held it for a second, between his fingers, not daring to hold it tighter for fear of breaking it. His eyes traveled up and down the wood, like it was an old friend, a lover returned from the grave, he looked at that flute like any other man might look at his one true love. Long, pale fingers floated down the wood, and he gently arranged his hands. He brought the pipe up to his mouth, simply relishing the feel of the smooth wood against his lips. He didn't blow any notes in the pipe, just let the pipe rest against his mouth as his fingers flitted over the holes. I wondered why he didn't blow. But I figured that might be acos there might be guards in the hall.

As he did all this, I could see his forearm without the cover of his sleeve. There are scars on his arms – and probably other places on his body – that ain't knife scars from his years in the Court of the Rogue. The one that was the easiest to see, right where the large vein in his right wrist curved as it went towards his palm, was most definitely not a knife scar. It was a burn. It looked like it had been a bad one, too.

"Where did you get that scar?" It was a quiet question, and out of my mouth before it had even registered in my mind. He looked up at me, a deep frown on his face. I cursed myself for interrupting his moment with that pipe. I think, if he died tomorrow, Rosto'd be happy, just having that pipe with him, and bumbling idiot that I am, I ruined the moment with my dratted nosiness.

"What?" His eyes met mine and we stared at each other for a few moments.

"The scar on your wrist, the burn scar. Where did you get it?" He was silent for a few moments. I could see the shadows of fear, pain, and horror in his eyes, though they were not present there. I pulled his hand back, and looked at his wrist. He ran a finger over the scar, as if he was contemplating it.

"I….I don't want to talk about it," he said. I frowned slightly, wondering if I should continue to press him. I get the feeling Goodwin would tell me to…

"Why not?" I asked. He looked up at me again. He didn't look angry, but there was a strange look on his face.

"It brings up memories that I would rather not relive." That made me even more curious, but if it would bring up painful memories, I wasn't about to force him to relive those. That would be cruel. To be honest, I can't help but wonder about all that he's been through in eighteen years. That is a long time to be in a prison – he's been here longer than I have been alive.

I don't know if I should pity Rosto, or admire him. The fact that he is still sane shows how strong he is mentally, which amazes me. I haven't been here for a fraction of the time he has, and I'm already bored for the most part.

There was a long lapse of silence between us. He didn't ask me about the pipe, instead he just looked at it as it sat there, gleaming in his palms. I gave him the rag, not that the pipe needed a cleaning. I started to write in my journal after I realized that he wasn't going to move too much. I wish he'd play something: it's awful dreary in here.

After that long silence, I heard his quill begin it scratch on the paper of what I could tell was his journal. It's a bit surprising that he still keeps one. Then again, what else is there to do here?

For a while, I just sat here and thought. I couldn't think of non-prying questions that wouldn't give away anything just yet, and he was busy scratching away. A long time passed before a guard let himself in (leaving the key in the lock while he was inside the cell, I noted). The guard dropped another tray of food on the table, removing the tray from the morning.

This time, there was more than whatever that mush was – some overdone meat, a couple of pieces of half-cooked vegetables, and a pretty large jug of water each. The portions weren't large, nor was the food very good, but it was better than breakfast.

Once again, there is only silence, but I'm starting to think that I've gotten ridiculously lucky by getting myself caught like I did. Now I have a chance at finding Da, or at least finding out about him, and even have someone like Rosto on my side if I help him get free. This could all work out, and end up better than it would have if I hadn't managed to do this…


	19. Revelations

From the journal of Rosto the Piper,  
Ex-King of the Rogue  
Southern Scanra

May 26?, 267 (perhaps I should ask the lad, he's bound to know the correct date)

I can barely believe what is happening. After no company for so long, suddenly, this lad who's been thrown into the cell with me has managed to bring back my past and give me news of everyone I knew. Now I've news of Corus, news of the Rogue, and news of Beka.

I think he's done pretty well for his first day in the cell, particularly since I know he didn't get much sleep last night, being as he woke me up three times. I can't say I blame him. He didn't like the mush they gave us for breakfast either. I agree with the lad there; the stuff is actually rather disgusting, but when it's the only food they give you, you eat it anyway.

Then he started asking questions. He wanted to know how long I had been here. I had to stop and think about that one. It has been over eighteen years, as much as I hate it. The he asked me if I knew why I was here. I wish I did. Then I would know the reason I've been put through so much. I would know why I was torn away from my world and left to die in this cell.

I answered as best I could, as it was. When he didn't ask another one, I took that opportunity to talk.

"Now you tell me. Why are you here? You're obviously a Dog. Well, a Puppy, judging from your uniform, and a Tortallan one at that," I said. He stared at me, like he was dumbfounded that I'd said that. He hesitated for a moment after he'd gotten over that shock, as if he was figuring out how to hide something.

"I'm on a case with one of my Dogs and her temporary partner. We're chasing a cove who murdered a nobleman in the Lower City," he said quietly. My ears perked when he said 'the Lower City.' That meant, if the noble was murdered in the Lower City, then he had to report to Jane Street Kennel, acos they almost never assigned cases that started in the Lower City to Dogs from another district.

"You report to Jane Street, then?" I asked. He nodded and it suddenly occurred to me. He said that he was with one of his Dogs and her temporary partner. Was Beka one of his training Dogs? At that matter, was she still alive? I quickly pushed away the sudden surge of hope that I just might see her again, because it was very likely that it wasn't her. The chance that it might be her was miniscule and very unlikely. She and Ersken had not even had a Puppy yet in 249. "Who are your Dogs?" He hesitated for the barest second before answering.

"Arina Jewel and Taylor Prince." I'd never heard of them before. Probably younger Dogs or sommat. But Jewel, she had to be related to old Nyler. That wasn't too common of a name in Corus outside of him and his extended family.

"Jewel. Undoubtedly one of Nyler Jewel's brood. More children than Lockhorn, that one. Still, he's bloody terrifying in investigation. I wonder…do you know what's happened to Clary Goodwin, Mattes Tunstall, or Ersken Westover?" I almost added Beka's name to the list, but I had to stop myself. Why would the former King of the Rogue want to know about the mot who was his sworn enemy? And I couldn't help but wonder if I was strong enough to hear if she had died or had been killed on duty. I don't think I could bear it to hear that…

"Yes – all of them. They're all still alive. Goodwin is the Watch Sergeant; she and Tunstall still walk Watch together, though. Ersken married his mage sweetheart, um, a mot by the name of-" Right there, I interrupted him.

"Koramin Ingensra, or Kora, as it was." I couldn't help but chuckle. So they finally got married after all. The two of them had finally started making plans around Midwinter after Beka and I married. I suppose the fact that we had indeed made it work had given Kora her leverage for the marriage and children she wanted.

"They've a handful of children together," Jarred continued, obviously watching me closely. Bits of memories flashed through my mind, including the puppies comment that Beka made before breakfast so long ago…

"Seems she got her litter of puppies," I all but muttered. That sounded like the Kora I knew. She was bound to get her way eventually, but it's still amusing. I couldn't help chuckling. Serves Ersken right, the nosy thing. Having to run around after his own children after teasing me and Beka so about it. I turned my attention away from my cellmate, and glanced out the window, losing myself in thought once more. After a moment, I turned to pick up one of my well-worn quills and a bottle of ink, intending to try to put my thoughts on paper. I paused when I'd put the bottle of ink next to my pile of journals and glanced back at Jarred.

"I know you're a Puppy, and you probably don't know that much, but what about the Rogue?" I asked. I figured that he wouldn't know much, since he was just a Puppy, and probably new to the Lower City, to boot.

"Well, Rogue Aniki is as fierce a mot as any, with a woman's sense of justice and vengeance and such. She's neat, if a bit frugal, and she was only arrested once."

I couldn't help but be amused by the thought of Aniki being the Rogue. I can see her doing a good job of it. She was Queen of the Rogue before she held the throne for herself. She was Queen, not just Queen of the Ladies of the Rogue. Now, her getting arrested was an amusing thought as well. Though she was on the crooked side of the law, she was still as straight as she could be. I wonder what she got arrested for…

"She still use the Dove?" I asked, disappearing into thought after I had said it. Jarred hesitated momentarily.

"Erm. Yes. The Dove's had pretty much the same household for the past decade. Only Kora ever left," he said. That made sense. If she and Ersken had had more than two or three children, then their room at the Dancing Dove would have proved to be less than cozy for their family. I reached out and picked up one of my quills, deep in thought for a moment. I had to check on Beka. I had to know if she was still alive, even if I couldn't ask the lad more than that. Every moment of not knowing whether she was alive or not made my heart hurt.

"And Cooper?" I asked. I kept my voice as impersonal as possible when I asked. Even if I couldn't ask more than that without revealing the fact that we had wed, I had to know, and I had to make it seem like she had just been my friend, and not my wife. "How is the Terrier?" I continued. She had been the Elkhound for just barely a year the last time I saw her. Still, she had always preferred Terrier to her grander nicknames like Bloodhound and Elkhound.

"Oh no one's called her that for a while, least, not to her face. Says she can't be a Rat catcher, if the Rats are all mice. And she won't 'hunt' Aniki, acos she ain't big enough a Rat. People keep trying to make up songs about her, but they fail miserably," he told me. People are still trying to come up with ballads and songs about my beautiful Terrier?

"Common folk can't make up a song about someone as exceptional as the Terrier." They really couldn't come up with anything that would do Beka justice. They cannot capture the beauty in her ghost-colored eyes, the ferocity with which she fights the Rats who harm the people of _her_ city. Not like I could, anyway. But, at the time, I couldn't play them. Who ever heard of the King of the Rogue, writing music for the Queen of Rat-catchers? So I couldn't play them, didn't mean I didn't have some that would make folk remember her name. If I ever get back, I'm playing them, and I don't care who hears. They'll have songs of the Terrier in the Lower City.

Everything she said was true – when the Terrier gets her teeth in a man, she don't ever let go if she can help it. Somehow, I get the feeling that she didn't even let me go until it was hopeless.

I glanced out the window again, just remembering the times I'd had with her as best I could. Mithros, I miss her. I watched as droplets hit the ground outside of the cell, thinking back on her adventure as the Bloodhound. I'd finally won her heart at Port Caynn. How I had missed her when she was away, going after the young prince less than a year after that…

I fidgeted with the quill, playing the songs that I had taught Beka when we were there. I couldn't help it. Then Jarred's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Why do they call you Rosto the Piper?" He asked. Now that was a question I'd heard often. Everyone seemed to wonder why I didn't have a surname, only a title.

"Well, I was rather handy with a pipe. Could play a song so lovely, the gods would cry," I told him. The tunes I used to play swirled around in my head as I made my hands stop fidgeting and put the quill down. It seemed rather obvious that I wasn't going to be writing in my journal for a while if he was going to continue to ask questions of me.

"What were you playing?" I blinked at him for a moment, completely confused. What was I playing? I hadn't been playing anything as far as I knew. He nodded towards my hands. "Your hands, they were moving over that there quill. I imagine you was playing something," he said. I just shook my head amusedly, almost smiling for just a second. Of course. My hands still remembered playing my pipes. It's been so long that I do wonder if I can still play as I did before. And he's got sharp eyes, for someone who's just a Puppy.

I opened my journal, glancing at my last entry. While doing so, I could hear him rummaging around in that satchel of his. I ignored him, losing myself in thought again before I reached for some ink.

Glancing back at the page, I was about to sigh when movement startled me out of my thoughts. My whole body stiffened on reflex, despite the fact that there was no need for the action. The Puppy had something in his hand and was moving in toward my head. Instinct stiffened me, readying for the fight. The motion repeated itself and I looked up.

Being held just inches from me was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I felt my jaw drop but nothing else seemed to permeate my mind.

Callingbird.

Soft golden wood, shined and polished, glinted at me from the pale hands of the young Puppy. He was holding my pipe. And I know it was my pipe, I recognized the lovingly carved wood, barely visible letters that spelled 'ROSTO' carved near the mouth-piece. The wood was warm and gleaming and I couldn't help but reach for her. Sweet Callingbird.

I very slowly reached out to it, my hands shaking with joy, and even a little fright. As soon as I had it in my hands, Jarred let go and backed up. I couldn't believe it. I could feel the smooth wood against my fingers, but it didn't seem real. I hadn't seen it since…since I left it on Beka's desk before heading out to Court…

Exultation flooded through my chest as I took in the sight of the polished golden-brown wood. This was one of the most important of all the material possessions I ever owned. It was the very identity of who I was, maybe even who I still am.

Slowly, I ran the tips of my fingers along the wood, letting them fall into place as if I had never been separated from it.

I brought the flute up, resting it against my lips, and closing my eyes as I relished this moment of happiness that I never thought would come again. I ran through a song in my head, letting my fingers fly over the pipe as I once had, but did not blow it. I couldn't bear for Callingbird to be taken away from me. I could hear the notes as they would come from the pipe, and barely, a whisper in my thoughts, I could hear Beka singing along, bending the notes with her will, and turning the mind of common folk to her bidding.

Time seemed to stand still for me until Jarred's voice cut through my thoughts again.

"Where did you get that scar?" He asked quietly. I opened my eyes and frowned at him. A guilty expression flashed across his face. I wondered what he was talking about.

"What?" I caught his eye and stared straight at him.

"The scar on your wrist. The burn scar. Where did you get it?" He asked. Images flashed through my mind, horrible ones, painful ones, things I would honestly rather not remember, even if it killed me to forget.

A second later, the lad's cool hand touched my wrist and exposed the scar that he was referring to. It was the lopsided oval-shaped white mark of scar tissue on my right wrist. I can remember exactly where that one came from.

I couldn't seem to find my voice. The memories, which were not even the most horrendous of them, made it hard to even think.

"I-I don't want to talk about it," I murmured, trying my very hardest not to stutter or stumble over the words. He asked me why I didn't want to talk about it.

I can't even bear to think of some of the less painful memories, but the worst of them are enough to give me nightmares. The only other time I've ever been afraid of nightmares was long ago. It was around Midwinter of 247, if I remember correctly.

When I told him why, he shut his mouth and has kept it shut, even with the guard dropping dinner on the table.

I have Callingbird back now. All I would need to truly die happy now is a chance to see my lady-love one more time. At least she's alive. At least I know that she seems to be relatively happy.

* * *

May 27, 267

Just when I thought this couldn't get any stranger in here, something else gets added to the mix.

This morning I woke before the guard had brought in breakfast. I sighed and rolled over on the pallet, rearranging myself into a more comfortable position. I glanced at Jarred to see that he was still asleep. A few long moments later, the guard entered, dropping the tray he carried haphazardly on the table. He proceeded to walk out, slamming the door behind him.

Jarred woke with a start when the door slammed. He glanced groggily around the room, like he didn't know where he was just then. He groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Not a morning person, I see. But then, if he walked the Evening Watch, like Beka and her Dogs had, or lived around the Rogue, he wouldn't be a morning person. If you're up until gods-only-know hour of the night, you aren't an early riser. I can recall that much.

I went over and collected the bowl where my breakfast was. Porridge again. Ick. The lad got to his feet, picked up his bowl, and returned to his seat. Once again, with one bite, he looked disgusted and shoved the bowl off to the side. He sent the bowl a dark look.

"What I wouldn't give for an apple fritter. Corcoran's probably got a whole load of them fresh this morning…" he muttered. I jerked my head up and stared at him. Had he just said Corcoran? I know he had. It was even more obvious that it was the same cove I had hired as cook for the Dove when Jarred started drooling over fantasies of food.

"How often do you eat breakfast at the Dove, lad?" I asked. He stopped salivating over whatever it was that he was imagining.

"Every morning," he mumbled. He wouldn't meet my eyes. The lad was still sleepy, which was lucky for me. A man's will is weakest in three instances: when he's drunk, when he's with a mot, and when he's just woken up. The lad was still weak enough in the will to answer questions that, maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't answer when he had all his wits about him.

"Then you must do battle with the Terrier for your share of Peach Dragons and apple fritters being as, if I remember properly, she's got a burning love for those fritters and Yamani Rolls Cookie's so good at making…" I said. I almost grinned, but only almost. Jarred chuckled softly for a moment.

"I try to tell her that a growing boy need nourishing, but Cookie argues that a mot walking her beat, living her life, needs more nourishing than a whelp like me." A half-smile flashed across his face. I couldn't help chuckling at that. That sounded like the Corcoran I knew. He loved the mots that lived at the Dove, always feeding them and coddling them way more than he did the lads. I can't count the number of times that Beka got breakfast before I did, even though I was downstairs first. He'd give a meat-pasty to Aniki, as she was always bonier than Kora, even while I was waiting for my supper.

"I take that that makes Beka chuckle then turn shy," I joked. If I'd said something like that, then she definitely would have. Jarred hesitated, still not meeting my gaze.

"Well, being as we're both Dogs, and she's known me forever, she ain't shy around me," he said softly. I frowned at that. I couldn't help myself. Beka wasn't shy around him? There were very few people Beka wasn't shy around. She was even shy around me sometimes, and I was her husband. Her brothers and sisters, Lord Gershom, Tunstall, Goodwin, Aniki, Kora, Ersken, Phelan, and me were the only people she was comfortable with most of the time. Even then, she turned shy on me and our housemates if we said sommat sometimes.

For her not to be shy around this lad, who doesn't seem to be older than about sixteen or seventeen, then she must have known him since he was little. It's not that she hated them, she didn't. She liked babies and toddlers fine, always acos they didn't know any better. It was the loud, annoying ones she dinna like. Beka was never very fond of children, not after the Ashmillers in particular, though she did want children of her own she told me a few times. She figured she could stand it if they was her own. Still, Beka didn't make friends with youngsters too easily. That had to mean something.

 _Is he maybe a family member, a nephew or a cousin or sommat? Had one of her siblings passed away and left a child behind and asked her to care for him? Not likely as her sisters, as I remember was both rather prim, and unlikely to have a child out of wedlock. Or did she adopt him when I was suddenly nowhere to be found and we couldn't have the children we both wanted?_ I thought.

"How long've you known Beka?" I asked, continuing to frown at him. He shrugged.

"A long time," he muttered in reply. He placed a spoonful of food in his mouth, and it seemed to sober him up a bit. He was coming around, so I figured I'd get through my questioning before he was fully capable of figuring himself out.

"You know her well, then?" I continued, still watching him carefully. He nodded.

"Only her husband knows her better," he replied. I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when he said that. Had Beka remarried after my disappearance? I wouldn't blame her if she had, but that didn't stop it from hurting. She thought I was dead, I'm sure. And my being dead would have given her freedom to do so. I swallowed heavily.

"Her husband?" I asked warily, forcing my voice not to shake. Even if that had happened, I wasn't going to give away the relationship Beka and I had had. Jarred nodded, finally looking up at me, hesitating.

"Well, see, he disappeared a long time ago. He left her with a…child. She's been raising the kid since, but she still misses him. The husband, I mean…" he trailed off and looked away, falling into complete silence.

The way he did that made me put the pieces together all that much faster. He has known Beka his whole life, and she isn't shy around him in the least. He had the same shape eyes as she did, just a different color. His mouth had the same set to it, little bit of a pout to the lower lip, probably the same quiet grin or knowing smile, and the same look as her when he was peeking at me over his journal.

He was Beka's son.

"You should have told me she was your ma," I said quietly. Jarred looked sheepish for a few moments.

"I didn't know how you'd react. You was the Rogue, and she was the Terrier. Maybe saying who my ma was would make you hate me. And I need you to help me find…" he stopped, swallowing nervously. He looked up at me with this desperate look in his eye that he didn't seem to realize that he had. "I need you to help me find my da." He forced it out with a concentrated effort, like he was unsure whether I'd be mad or not. I smirked at him.

"And you thought I wouldn't do that?" I asked. "If you've ever listened to tales about your ma, you'd know that she has a soft spot for Rogues, and they for her," I told him matter-of-factly. Which was true. I loved her. Lockhorn respected her as much as he did his own women, and gods only knows about the Rogues and District chiefs she met as the Elkhound.

"I allus thought those were just stories to explain why she ain't arrested none of them yet," he mumbled. Just stories? Some of them were real…I was there for some of them…

It struck me as soon as those words were out of his mouth. This teenager had confirmed that Beka was his mother, and he had said that his father, Beka's husband, had gone missing a long time ago. The lad couldn't be younger than sixteen. And Beka wouldn't have given up so soon. For Kyprioth's sake, his eyes are as dark as mine. The only difference in color is the corona of gold flecks. His hair is lighter blond than hers, and now that I thought about it, I could see other familiar features that didn't belong to Beka.

Trickster's all. Angelina had eyes like that, the gold flecks giving them the warmth mine didn't have. He has hair like me. Blonde, not white blonde, but the kindof hair I had as a lad, with the shine of gold to the edges, like a halo of light. And his eyes were both Beka's, _and mine_.

He's my son. He's _my_ son. He's my _son._ The thought bounced around in my head. _He's my son. Mine, and Beka's._ This moment, I can't recall if my mouth fell open in shock or not, but of all the Trickster's irony, the one person who would be thrown into my cell, was my son. Son, the word was so foreign in my head that I couldn't put it on my tongue.

Sweet Mithros, I have a son. And I missed his whole life. I never had a choice, but I missed everything, and he never even knew my name. Elsewise he could have known that I was his father when I said what my name was. I don't really understand why Beka chose to keep that from him. It doesn't matter. But I have a son…

I shot a glance over at him and saw that he was watching me intently. I reached out and picked up Callingbird, wondering what I was going to say. He would ask me if I knew his da' sooner or later, and I'd have to answer. That wasn't the kind of question that I was going to be able to talk my way around. Running my fingers over the smooth golden-brown wood, I looked up at him.

"Did Beka give you my pipe?" I asked. He nodded.

"I know she ain't got the authority to give it, being as it's yours and not hers, but she and Aniki and Kora each have one. But she's also got your journal, and I know she ain't a Rogue or a lady of your Court, so how come she has that?" He blurted out. I was taken aback by the question. Beka had kept my journal? Ah. I had probably left it in her room that day. That would explain it.

I couldn't help hesitating. Should I tell him, or not? I decided not to. He can figure it out. I needed to think and couldn't just dump it on him. If he's Beka's and mine, he ought to be smart enough to see it and figure it out on his own.

"You lot done with your breakfast?" a voice growled through the door. I jumped, wolfing down the measly gray porridge while watching the lad swallowed a few spoonfuls with some grimacing. Beka could never keep her thoughts off of her face either.

"Done," I said, standing and handing over the bowl. The Puppy handed over his bowl as well. The guard was about to leave when the lad spoke.

"'Scuse me? I know I ain't supposed to make a fuss or nothing, being as we're prisoners and all, but your men left me with my pipe, and I was wondering if I could play it, or would it get taken away?" The lad had guts. _My son has some guts. Probably got those from me._ He was braver than Beka, that's for sure.

I felt my bile rise though, as the guard thought about it. Perhaps the guard would say no. What if he took the pipe away? I'd never see sweet Callingbird again. And that whelp was asking if it was okay if _he_ could play _my_ pipe. Over my dead body. Torn in half, I waited for the guard's answer, giving Jarred an annoyed glance.

"I dinna see any fault with it. We dinna hear you in the hall. But I'd ask him," the guard shot me a glance filled with scorn, "acos if he dinna like your playing, this murdering scum will wring your neck." The guard laughed like he'd said something maniacally funny and closed the cell door.

I snorted at the door. Then I turned my gaze to Jarred. He was smiling. "Why are you so dratted happy?"

"You can play your pipe now. I certainly can't play as good as you. Though Aniki seemed to think I was you, when I played _Toora Loora Loora_ for Ma and Corcoran that one day. She came running, and Bold Brian said something about you being a brave…." He drifted off. So the cogs in his head was turning. And Bold Brian was still alive, the mumper-bag.

"What did Bold Brian say about me? I was a brave 'what'?" I asked the lad, leaning forward, one hand on my knee. The lad looked at the posture, _recognizing it, perhaps, as one of his own._

"He mentioned something about you being a…" he mumbled the last word but I heard it. _SPINTRY._ Bold Buggering Brian. Still calling me a spintry. He would swim for this one, I was sure of it. He would swim, and this time he wasn't coming out of the Olorun.

"Hmph," I grunted.

"Ma broke his jaw for it. She threw her baton at him, and it broke his jaw. He ran yelping from the Dove." Jarred grinned a bit, thinking back on the memory, and I saw Beka's half-smile grace the lad's mouth.

"Serves him right," I muttered.

"He insulted Ma, right before he called you a spintry, so it was probably just her punishing him in a way as was fitting." Jarred smiled, thoughts whirring behind his eyes.

"How so?" I asked. He looked up at me, confused. "How'd he insult your ma?"

"Well, he said I looked a bit like….Well," he paused and the air hummed between us, "he said I looked a bit like you."

Silence.

I have a feeling the lad was putting pieces together faster than he'd ever done. Callingbird, the Journal, Aniki's and Bold Brian's comments, the way I sat or turned, all the little things about me, and how they reminded him of himself.

"That wouldn't be so bad now, would it?" I asked him, letting myself grin as I sat back to play _Toora Loora Loora_ on Callingbird.

My son, meanwhile, looked dumb-struck.


	20. Revealed

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard of Tortall  
Scanra

May 27, 267

I don't even know where to start. My mind is racing, and my hand is shaking with the quill. I'll just start from the beginning. That will be easier anyway.

Once again, my night's sleep was rather fitful, and I woke when the guard slammed the door on his way out. I rubbed my eyes and stretched, thinking about how much I hate mornings sometimes. More accurately, most of the time. Living with Ma at the Dove will do that to you. She ain't a morning person neither, but that don't stop her from waking everyone else up at dawn, me in particular. To top it off, I don't even see how she can do that, being as she stays out a bit later than I do, and gets up earlier. Must just be Ma and her habits, since she's been a street Dog for twenty years.

Rosto was already up when I glanced over in his direction. He was getting his breakfast from the tray. I hauled myself up to do the same, only to be rather displeased with the results.

It was that disgusting grey porridge again. I took a single bite and almost emptied my stomach of the meager remnants of my dinner from last night. I pushed the bowl away. I was not going to eat it. Absolutely revolting, that. I glared at it for a moment, wondering why it tasted so bad.

"What I wouldn't give for an apple fritter. Corcoran's probably got a whole load of them fresh this morning," I mumbled. I really didn't care if it made me seem like I was talking to myself. I missed decent food, for one thing. I started thinking about all the food Corcoran would probably be getting out, even if it was just for Aniki and the kitchen gixies. Tired as I was, I wasn't really paying attention to the questions Rosto started asking me.

"How often do you eat breakfast at the Dove, lad?" He seemed honestly curious, like he wanted to know how the inn he built was doing, at the moment. I about fell asleep again leaned against the wall. I blinked my eyes open again, thinking about the question.

"Every morning," I said. I took a deep breath, trying to wake myself up a little more.

"Then you must do battle with the Terrier for your share of Peach Dragons and apple fritters being as, if I remember properly, she's got a burning love for those fritters and Yamani Rolls Cookie's so good at making," he said, almost grinning. _He must have been good friends with Ma,_ I thought to myself. I couldn't help chuckling at that. It was actually rather funny, if you thought about it.

"I try to tell her that a growing boy need nourishing, but Cookie argues that a mot walking her beat, living her life, needs more nourishing than a whelp like me," I told him, having the scenes fly though my mind. I've been downstairs at the crack of dawn before, and Ma has still gotten food before me. Aniki, too. Rosto chuckled softly. He was probably in a similar situation, with Ma, Aniki, and Kora at the Dove when he was still there. Corcoran's always been extremely fond of the mots that live in the Dove.

"I take that that makes Beka chuckle then turn shy," Rosto said, a joking tone in his voice. I thought about it for a moment, but it didn't quiet make its way to my brain before my mouth took off again.

"Well, being as we're both Dogs, and she's known me forever, she ain't shy around me," I murmured. That was true enough, and it wasn't like she was shy around Corcoran or Aniki, so how could that tip him off in any way?

I could see the wheels turning in his head without even trying. There was something in his eyes that said he was beginning to put the pieces together, even if he hadn't gotten all that far yet. Somehow, that didn't seem to register in my still sleep-fogged mind. There was a brief moment of silence before Rosto spoke up again.

"How long've you known Beka?" He asked. The way he said it, it was as if he knew her, really knew her. Like they were more than just acquaintances. I glanced at him for a split-second, wondering if I should admit it. He was frowning at me. It couldn't hurt – there were lots of people that Ma knew that had known her for longer.

"A long time," I admitted softly. My stomach growled. I reached out and picked up the bowl again. It wouldn't hurt me to eat the stuff if Rosto's survived on it for so long. I put a spoonful in my mouth. It wasn't as bad as it had seemed at first, even if it still wasn't very good.

"You know her well, then?" Rosto inquired. I nodded, thinking. Now why would he want to know that? I mentally shrugged it off, not thinking much of it.

"Only her husband knows her better."

"Her husband?" He asked. I nodded, glancing up at him briefly. He must not have known that Ma was married before he disappeared. That seemed strange to me, being as they lived in the same inn. He should have known if he lived there.

"Well, see, he disappeared a long time ago. He left her with a…" I hesitated for a split second, wondering if I should say 'son or not. I decided not to. "Child. She's been raising the kid since, but she still misses him. The husband, I mean…"

There was a strange look on his face, as if he was putting pieces together that didn't seem to want to fit at all.

"You should have told me she was your ma." I looked away again. The way he had said it made me feel a little ashamed that I hid it. _A_ _typical player. Ma was right about rogues,_ I thought. I shrugged, pushing my slight embarrassment away.

"I didn't know how you'd react. You was the Rogue, and she was the Terrier. Maybe saying who my ma was would make you hate me," I said nervously. How was he going to react to me wanting his help finding my da? "And I need you to help me find…" I hesitated again, trying to make my mind (and mouth) work. I glanced up at him again, honestly hoping that he wasn't going to laugh and scoff at me for what I was about to ask of him. "I need you to help me find my da." A smirk appeared on his face, looking like such a natural expression for him.

"And you thought I wouldn't do that? If you've ever listened to tales about your ma, you'd know that she has a soft spot for Rogues, and they for her," he told me in a matter-of-fact voice. I hadn't really thought about it all that much. Now that I think about it, sure, she was friends with Aniki, but she was friends with Aniki before Aniki was the Rogue, or even the Queen of the Rogue. She was friends with Aniki way back when Aniki was just a rusher fresh from Scanra with Kora and Rosto. And Lockorn. He liked her, they both admitted their friendship. It was good for a Dog to have connections like them. Even if some people thought her a bit crooked for befriending them. Outside of them, though, I'd thought any friendly encounter with a rogue I'd heard about from someone aside from Ma directly was just a story.

"I allus thought those were just stories to explain why she ain't arrested none of them yet," I admitted. It was after I said that that his expression changed again. The smirk disappeared, replaced by a thoughtful look. I could see the wheels turning in his head again, particularly since I'd managed to clear most of the fog of sleep from my mind.

I watched him for a few minutes, noting how his expression continued to change. A hint of shock showed at one point, but he didn't say anything. It seemed that he'd had a private revelation. One that he wasn't going to share with me. I waited for him to say something for a few minutes, but he stayed silent.

After a while, he glanced at me, reaching for his pipe with one hand. He turned Callingbird over and over in his hands, fingers running across the smooth wood. Finally, he met my eyes.

"Did Beka give you my pipe?" He asked. I nodded, wondering why he was asking that. It was a rather sudden change of subject.

"I know she ain't got the authority to give it, being as it's yours and not hers, but she and Aniki and Kora each have one," I said. That was very true – I'd asked Aniki about the metal flute I'd seen in her room on a small pedestal when I was younger. She said it was called Nightingale, and it belonged to an old friend of hers who had vanished, Rosto the Piper. I had also seen Kora cleaning what she told me was a piccolo when Ma had taken me to visit one day. Kora had said a similar thing, but she hadn't said Rosto's name. Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever heard her say his name…

As I was saying that, I was reminded of the journal I'd found when I was helping Ma move downstairs. It was Rosto's journal, and I still didn't have an explanation. The question echoed in my mind over and over again. I tried not to say it, but it felt like one of them spiny river fish from the Olorun stuck in my craw. I didn't mean to, but I just blurted it out.

"But she's also got your journal, and I know she ain't a Rogue or a lady of your Court, so how come she has that?" I asked. Rosto's response was a frown and a bit of a hesitation. He looked like he was about to respond when a voice from the doorway startled both of us. I hadn't even heard the guard open the door. I saw Rosto wolf down what he had left in his bowl as I tried to force down another few spoonfuls. Ick.

"You lot done with your breakfast?" The guard asked in Common. That surprised me a little, too. Aside from my cellmate, the only one who's addressed me in Common was the lordling. Rosto got to his feet and handed the bowl over. I did the same without standing. Right as the guard was about to leave, it occurred to me.

"'Scuse me? I know I ain't supposed to make a fuss or nothing, being as we're prisoners and all, but your men left me with my pipe, and I was wondering if I could play it, or would it get taken away?" I asked. I saw a brief flash of a mix of fear and horror in Rosto's eyes before he pushed it away. The guard paused and thought about it for a moment. Rosto sent me an irritated look that could have set a tree on fire. Probably learned that from Kora, now as I think about it. I guess I can understand why. He's been trapped in here for so long with nothing but his journals and his thoughts. I've just given him one of his prized possessions back and here I am almost asking if the guard will take it away from him again.

"I dinna see any fault with it. We dinna hear you in the hall. But I'd ask him," the guard replied in highly accented Common. He glanced darkly at Rosto, who unconsciously narrowed his eyes. "Acos if he dinna like your playing, this murdering scum will wring your neck." At that, he started laughing almost hysterically. That ain't something I'd be laughing at in his position. He disappeared out of the cell, closing the door with a _click_ behind him.

Rosto made a disgusted noise in the general direction of the door before glancing at me. I know I was grinning like a cracknob at that point.

"Why are you so dratted happy?" He asked, sounded not at all pleased. I just kept grinning. I was rather proud of myself, to be honest.

"You can play your pipe now. I certainly can't play as good as you. Though Aniki seemed to think I was you, when I played _Toora Loora Loora_ for Ma and Corcoran that one day. She came running, and Bold Brian said something about you being a brave…" I stopped, ideas suddenly occurring to me. I hadn't really questioned why Brian had said what he said. But…what if Brian did have a reason other than being what his name said he was.

"What did Bold Brian say about me? I was a brave 'what'?" Rosto asked, the look in his eyes saying that he remembered Brian and his comments from before. He leaned forward, resting his hand on his knee. I frowned slightly. _They allus watch me in the Dove when i sit like that. Don't I put my arm just like that, too_ I thought.

"He mentioned something about you being a spintry…" I said, mumbling the last word. His expression tightened and he didn't look exactly pleased.

"Hmph."

"Ma broke his jaw for it. She threw her baton at him, and it broke his jaw. He ran yelping from the Dove," I said. It was impossible to keep the grin from my face when I thought about that event. I felt a little bad for Brian, because that had to hurt, but then again, he went more than a bit far. Guess that's why they call him 'Bold' Brian.

"Serves him right," Rosto muttered darkly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"He insulted Ma, right before he called you a spintry, so it was probably just her punishing him in a way as was fitting," I told him. I couldn't help smiling again. Then I started thinking. Really, what would have made Brian get the idea that he could shoot his mouth off like that? Maybe, was there something between Ma and Rosto before she married or sommat?

"How so?" Rosto asked. I frowned at him, confusion filling my mind. I did not really understand the question at the time. Was he asking how it was fitting, or was it just that I had not been paying attention? "How'd he insult your ma?" He asked, seemingly just curious. I paused before answering him.

"Well, he said I looked a bit like….Well," I stammered over my words, my mind working just as fast as it could, thinking over the pieces that seemed to have been suddenly thrust to the forefront of my mind. "He said I looked a bit like you…"

Rosto just looked at me, as if he wasn't surprised. Then it clicked.

All of Ma's comments, the daggers, the journal, the flute, the look in Aniki and Kora's eyes when they watched me. The way that Kora never said Rosto's name in front of me. All of those little thing about Rosto, the dark eyes, the light blond hair, the postures and habits that I had, too.

"That wouldn't be so bad now, would it?" He told me, grinning. He brought his pipe up and played the repeated line from _Toora Loora Loora_ that was so familiar to me.

Rosto the Piper is my father.

I just stared at him, dumbstruck.

Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith. Rosto the Piper, the former King of the Court of the Rogue, my father. I could feel my jaw drop at just the thought. I couldn't think, I couldn't speak, I just stared.

After several moments of just staring at him, he chuckled, showing the first real smile since we'd met. I stuttered over the next sentence, trying to make it work in my mind.

"Not trying to offend or nothing, but you aren't thinking what I think you're thinking, are you? You aren't really my da?" I asked. Admittedly, I was a bit taken aback on my end. Rosto raised an eyebrow at me.

"There a good reason why I should't be?" He asked.

"Well, Ma's a Dog, and you're…" I hesitated a moment. "Well, you aren't." That was absolutely pathetic. Like her being a Dog makes a difference when it comes to love and the like.

"Excellent argument," Rosto said sarcastically. "One that you know holds no more water than a sieve." I blinked at him a few times, thinking about it.

"So…you're my da?" I asked. He nodded.

"I'd like to think so, if only because it speaks well of your ma," he said. For just a split second, I could see a look in his eyes, the same warmth I've seen Ersken look at Kora with, or in the way Phelan looks at Aniki. It disappeared rapidly when he glanced back up at me.

"And alot of people knew, didn't they?" I asked, thinking through the list again – Kora, Aniki, Ersken, Phelan. Mithros, even Corcoran must have known. Rosto turned his dark eyes on me again.

"Everyone who was ever close to her. Goodwin and Tunstall witnessed our hands-fasting, and the Lord Provost himself signed our marriage certificate. She didna keep it from them, lad."

"So why'd she keep it from me?" I asked, more for myself than for him. He shrugged, not knowing how to respond. After taking a short moment to think, he spoke up again.

"She was probably trying to protect you. Mothers do that. Folk didna like me, and she wanted you to live your own life instead of living in my shadow," he said, bringing the pipe up again to play a different tune. I didn't recognize that one. I started thinking – if he had been there during my childhood…

"If you were there," I started to ask a question and he cut me off.

"Don't ask that question, son. We can't know what I'd have done if I was there. Mithros, I wish I'd managed to stay and see you grow up, of only acos I know you must have been a handful as a child, being my son and all. But I wasn't there, and there's no point asking 'what if' about that, because you wouldn't be who you are. Beka did her best. Be happy with that," he told me.

I was a bit shocked by the naturalness at which Rosto called me 'son.' It came so easily from his mouth. I tried to wrap my mind around the thought of calling him 'Da' or 'Father,' but it just wouldn't come. The word stuck in my mouth.

"Rosto," I said quietly. He looked at me expectantly, but not, I don't think, because I'd called him by his name instead of by 'Da' or sommat. "I want to get out of here and see my ma. The minute I see her, I'm gonna bury her under questions that she's been avoiding all my life." That probably sounded a bit childish, but it ain't wrong for a lad to love his ma, and my ma and I are close, and she's got a lot of explaining to do.

"Not if I get to her first," he said with a smile. That made me chuckle. He's probably got more questions than I do. Probably has more to say to her than I do, too.

Rosto is my da. The Piper is my da. A thought struck me. "PIPER!" I groaned. Rosto jerked his head up when I'd raised my voice, his eyes wide in surprise. "No wonder she hated the name…"

"Eh?" asked Rosto, looking at me, confused now.

"Piper is my dog. My puppy. She makes these little whistle-yips when she's happy, just like a pipe, and I named her Piper. Ma can't stand to look at her."

"You have a dog?" He asked incredulously. "What, you dinna like cats?"

"No, I like Pounce," I said, a slightly defensive tone entering my voice. Rosto guffawed.

"That furball's still walking? Goodness, he's just like Bold Brian, he just won't go away!" He said, still laughing.

"So, do you know a way out of here?" I asked again.

"If Beka had asked me that question, I could have come up with a few, but right now…right now I'm as empty of ideas as you are," he said, his mouth tightening just a little. It was easy to see how much he wanted to get out of here, and I honestly don't blame him.

Every time I look at him, I can see how much he's been through. The way he moves sometimes gives an idea some of the abuse they've put him through here. Spending winter after winter in here wouldn't do someone any good. Thinking about it that way, I'm sort of surprised he lasted this long. I thought winter in Corus was cold, but it has to be that much colder up here in the North. We thought in silence for a few more minutes before I spoke up again.

"Will you tell me what happened? How you ended up here?" I asked. He met my eyes for a moment, then nodded.

"No reason not to. If you live at the Dove, then you know the building across the street, the boarding house?" He inquired. I nodded. The owner of that building was a friend of Ma's. I don't remember what her name was, but she let Kora watch me over there after Ma went back to Evening Watch. She couldn't rightly let me stay at the Dove when the Court of the Rogue was going on, and Kora hadn't stayed involved with the Rogue after Alania was born.

"At the time, I was having some renovations done on the stairways of the Dove – someone had started a brawl and the ensuing fight caused irreparable damage. You probably know of the back staircase?" The tone of his voice indicated another question, so I nodded again. It hasn't been used in years, but I know of it.

"We – that is to say, Beka, Kora, Ersken, Aniki, Phelan, and myself – had moved across the street so that those renovations could be completed. I had stayed behind to talk to Beka since it was our anniversary when the others had already left for dinner at the Dove. Ersken had already left for baton practice, so Beka and I were alone. We talked before she left, I promised I would see her after Watch, told her that I had a surprise for her.

"I headed out just after dark, and I was jumped from behind. There were at least two of them who tried to wrestle me down. A third covered my mouth and nose with a cloth dipped in an herbal anesthetic. I blacked out and didn't come to before it was too late," he said. He sighed and put his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. After a moment, he straightened, but continued to look at the floor. "I'm not much of a storyteller anymore. Used to be good at it, but it's been so long…" He sighed and leaned back against the wall, eyes once again trained on me. "What killed me most that night, was that I couldn't say goodbye to anyone. And Beka, she'd said she wanted to talk to me. 'Bout you, probably." There was quiet in our cell, and Rosto stood up, taking the pose of a piper: feet together, spine straight up, hands soft on the wood in his hands, and his eyes the only intense look on his otherwise calm face. It was almost like this pose helped him think. Funny, I usually think best on my feet as well.

"I'm curious," he said, looking up as if an idea had occurred to him. "Did you inherit Beka's Gift?" That surprised me, as far as questions go. Ma don't usually tell people that she has the Gift, the Air Gift. It puts people out of sorts, especially the talking to the dead bit.

"Yes. I don't have it as strong as Ma does, but I have it all the same," I told him. "Don't like it much, didn't ask for it, but it ain't like I have a choice,so I live with it as best as I can" I added under my breath. Rosto chuckled, obviously hearing the last part.

"I once considered myself lucky not to have the Gift, because I got by on my own wits. You have a great asset at your disposal, son. Your ma was the only one in Corus to have the Air Gift, and she proved it over and over again that it was useful, even if it was hard to bear. The Gods expect much of those they bless the most, you ma was blessed by the kindest and most frightening of the Gods, and he ask much of her. But she listens, and bears the weight of his Gift." Ma's said the same thing, telling me that, even though I wasn't as strong in the Gift as she is, I'm expected to use my skills for good and not for ill, and that the Gods don't like it when we take for granted or scorn their gifts.

He kept talking. Goodness, he's been chatty this morning, "I dunno if she ever told you this, but the two of us could put the city to sleep back when I was the Rogue. We put our friends to sleep with Toora Loora Loora when she was testing out her magic, bending the wind to her will for the first time," he said. He seemed to drift off for a moment just then. I imagine if he'd been around, we would've done a lot more of this. Ma don't tell too many stories most days, but Rosto he's the sort who'd probably love to just sit in a big easy chair, flames in the fireplace, ale in one hand and a story on his tongue. He looked at me again, "To be perfectly honest, you should be glad that you got it. You wouldn't be here without it – Beka saved my life using her Gift once. She can tell you the story sometime, maybe. I don't remember most of it; I was half-delirious through almost the whole thing, but you can ask her about that day. She probably has it written down in one of her old journals, " he continued. I frowned slightly, thinking back to the part he said about Ma bending the wind to her will.

"You said Ma could bend the wind to her will with her Gift, and I've heard her sing using it, the way she can influence the emotions of the people around her. I've never gone farther into my Gift than hearing those blasted pigeons." Rosto snorted with laughter when I said that. He would know what it's like having pigeons burst into the room in the morning when you're sleeping if he was married to Ma. "Do you know how she did it?" I asked. Rosto looked thoughtful for a few moments while he was obviously thinking back to when he was in Corus.

"I don't know exactly how she did it, but what she said was that she reached out with her magic and touched the notes I was playing in the air, feeling them first. Then she started singing and the notes changed in feel. By the time we were through the whole lullaby, everyone but me, her, and Kora was asleep," he said. "Now that I have Callingbird back, I can help you practice, if you like." _Great_ , I thought, _now I have to learn. And here I was thinking that mayhaps I could just sit here and get myself saved._

A light sparked in Rosto's eyes and he snapped his fingers, "That may just be our way out of here," he added, excitement just barely creeping into his voice.

I hadn't really thought about developing my Gift farther than it is now before, because I've never liked it much with the pigeons. I don't know why I don't like those birds, but I don't. Bloody irritating when they're intent on getting rid of their ghosts; I've gotten bitten more times than I can count.

"Since you know the words to Toora Loora Loora, then you can sing it while I play. We can go from there once we know if you have that much of the Gift or not," Rosto said, turning the pipe over and over in his hands again.

"If it gets us out of here, I'll give it a try. I don't think I have a very good singing voice, though." I told him, and Rosto shrugged.

"Beka's your ma, she was just fine. And I wasn't so bad neither, though I preferred to play my pipe. We'll find out," he said nonchalantly. After a short pause, he lifted his pipe to his mouth, resting the golden-brown wood softly against his lips, and started to play. Considering how long it had been since he had played any of his pipes, his ability to be able to jump right back in the way he did is astounding. Even without practicing for years, he's still better than I am. He added flourishes to the tune that I never would have thought of even if I was as good as him. He really does deserve to be called the Piper.

After he'd run through it a couple of times, I started to reach out with my Gift as Ma taught me. I could feel the notes, just as I had when Ma sang before we left. Slowly, I began to sing along, not loudly, because I didn't want to get either of us into trouble with the guards. Finishing the whole of the song again, Rosto lowered Callingbird momentarily.

"Alright, since you've obviously got the lyrics down, try using your magic to make them do as you will. Make them into a true lullaby that will put anyone to sleep," he urged. A squeaking noise resonated from the corner closer to him. He glanced over and made a face when he saw a rat there. "Oh, wonderful. Another rat." An idea struck him then. "Try to put the rat to sleep with the lullaby. You can practice on it for the time being." I nodded, watching the rodent scamper closer to my father before he shooed it off again.

That word still seems so strange to me when referring to Rosto. I suppose I'll get used to it in time, but I still can't seem to wrap my mind around it quiet yet. Maybe eventually I can actually call him 'Da' like he calls me son…

He started the tune again and I picked it up, delving into my Gift and trying to hear it with my magic instead of just my ears. The strange motion they seemed to make was almost entrancing. I followed the tune, humming for a moment, then singing softly in time with Rosto's piping. As I did, the notes changed, the way they felt shifted abruptly, though the tune itself stayed the same. I continued to sing a little louder, but not so loud that I think I could be heard in the hallway. I dropped off before Rosto did, seeing the rat curl up in the corner as I let my own last note drop into silence.

"Good job," Rosto said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "And you don't have a bad voice, you know. The quality of your voice is actually quiet good; far better than mine, at the least. If you practiced a little, then you could almost rival Beka, but not quite – she's got talent there," he said, seeming to drift on into memories again for a moment. He does that quiet a bit, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. It seems like he has a lot to think about in here.

I hope Ma's alright. And Rinny, too. I've been stuck in here for three days in total now. I wonder if they've gone on with the investigation without me. I hope so. Ma will do a good job while Rosto and I figure out how to get out of here. I just hope we can get out…

 


	21. The Trail

From the journal of Rebakah Cooper  
Provost's Guardswoman  
In Scanra

May 28, 267

I am beyond frustrated. Out of all the possible places for that bloody cove to go, he's gone to the castle. That can mean one of two things. Either he has the protection of the lord of the fief (and possibly his orders came from that lord), or he's hiding there for some reason or another. I can't possibly think of what a Scanran nobleman would want with Kindan of Haryse. That doesn't make very much sense. Kindan stayed out of most of the affairs of the King's court. He was a knight, but he preferred to do what the common knights did, like Sabine, instead of what some of the more haughty knights. He didn't pick fights, and he was very kind from my limited acquaintance with him.

I don't know what it means, but it has to mean something. Nobles don't generally act unless there's something in it for them. Not all of them do, but most. There are some that are different, Sabine and Lord Gershom coming to mind in particular. Breno and his brothers were counterfeiting to help Ralon plot to seize the throne, for example. At this point we can only wonder.

It's been five days since Jarred disappeared, and there isn't much to go on there either. The trail was cold by the time it was light enough to see the area where he'd been captured, by the look of it. I can only hope that he's safe, even though there is still a war going on in my head half the time. I know he can take care of himself, and he will find his way back. I know he will.

Right now we have very little to go on, but I'm just itching to get up to that castle and have a look there. I keep getting the feeling that there's something up there that I need to know, something important.

The castle itself is made of a dusky grey stone. It has three towers, the two closest to us are turrets, the other looks like a rook in a game of chess.

There is an outside wall of the same stone as the castle, and just beyond that is the stable. The wall itself is at least thirty feet high, and the wrought iron gate as the front entrance to the castle.

That castle has a sinister feel to it, as if there is something utterly _wrong_ about it. I don't know how to describe it, but I feel like there's something evil there, and that it's watching us.

I have to stop writing now. The fire's about to go out and Jewel's dead asleep already.

* * *

May 29, 267

Still no news of Jarred or the cove we're chasing, but something interesting happened. Rinny and I were out in the forest this morning just before dawn, when we heard something nearby. We both froze, listening intently. A twig snapped and Rinny about jumped out of her skin. We waited but nothing happened. The only sound around us was of the crickets chirping their own rhythm.

I relaxed a little, turning on the spot to look for any possible motion or dark shapes in the trees. My eyes caught on a slight outline against a tree about ten feet from us. Very carefully, I backed up so that I wasn't in the line of sight of whatever it was and started creeping towards it. Rinny started to do the same, but all of a sudden, the outline moved.

I could hear the soft creak of a supple bow as its string was pulled back. I froze, trying to see with the barest hint of the sunrise just barely visible through the trees. The faintest outline of what looked like a longbow was visible against the shadows of the tree. It was aimed at Rinny.

After another moment frozen, I started to move again. I wasn't a foot from the tree the archer was standing behind when I heard the creak of another bow being drawn. A quick glance to my left showed me that there was another archer who now had their bow trained on me.

"What's going on?" Rinny hissed.

"Don't know," I murmured, trying not to let our foes hear me too easily.

The one with the bow trained on me hesitated, then called out to the other in another language – one I understood. Scanran. And it was obvious to me that it was a mot speaking.

"Who are they?" She asked. There was a sigh from the other tree before the other person responded.

"I don't know. You ask them since you're so smart and decided to talk," the other replied. That one was obviously a mot, too, from the sound of her voice. The mot who had her bow trained on me shifted, seeming to glare at her companion. She switched to heavily accented Common when she spoke the next time.

"Who're you?" She asked. Her _r_ 's were harsh, just like Breno's had been when he'd spoken at Port Caynn. The only Scanrans who I have met who did not have an accent, or had the barest trace of one, were Aniki, Rosto, and Kora. Rosto had a trace of an accent when he said certain words at first, but it was never noticeable. He spoke like a true Tortallan after his first year or so in Tortall (for the most part). The only reason I think I ever even noticed it was because he talked to me so much. And when he was overly tired, it would be there, even if he didn't speak with it normally.

I hesitated before replying, wondering if I should go ahead and tell the truth or not. If they weren't friendly and they found out who we were, then it could mean trouble, but then again, if they were friendly, we might get a little help, or at least some information.

"Rebakah Cooper and Arina Jewel of Tortall," I said. Silence greeted my words. No one said anything for a long moment. "If you're not going to shoot us, I would suggest that you put those bows away before someone gets hurt," I went on in Scanran. The mot close to me about dropped her bow with surprise.

"You speak Scanran?" She asked in the aforesaid language.

"Fluently," I responded. I heard the creaks of the bows as the two of them relaxed their bows. The sun, getting ever higher, began to peak into the light tree-cover.

"Why are you here? The way you were talking before sounded like you weren't Scanran," she said.

"We're not. We're Tortallan, but I speak Scanran." I didn't realize it at the time, but I'd partially slipped into my Dog brain. My shyness didn't come as it usually does. "We're just here because we need to be," I added in response to her previous question.

"So, you're not guards sent to arrest us?" I frowned at that question.

"No. Why?" I asked in turn.

"There are guards sent from the castle sometimes, to stop the villagers from hunting in the forest on the lord's lands. He don't like people in 'his forest,'" she said. "He's a murdering, power-hungry tyrant who ain't even in his right mind," she added under her breath, thinking that I couldn't hear her. Her sister heard her, too.

"Veya! Hush! For all you know, they could be guards sent here to trick us into thinking that we're safe!" I shot a glance at the other mot, whose face was partially lit by some of the muted light filtering in through the trees.

"We're not from the castle," I told her quietly in Scanran. "We're from Corus, we're Dogs." That seemed to shut her up. Silence hung heavily in the air for a few moments. Then, the mot who was more open with his – Veya, as her sister had called her – spoke up.

"Why don't we go back to our house?" She asks softly. I glanced at Rinny for a split second before nodding an affirmative. We followed them through the forest, along a small river that ran to the west of the small camp Rinny and I have set up.

At that point, I could see that both of them were blond, though the Veya's sister, whose name I still didn't know, had darker blond hair. It wasn't as dark as mine though. Veya's was a lighter, a nice golden blond that was very pretty. Veya's hair reminded me a bit of Aniki, and how much I miss my friends. And Rosto. When Veya glance back at me and Rinny to make sure that we were following, I noted that her eyes were light green and that she had a button nose. Her sister didn't look back at us the whole time as we made our way to their house.

Their home was a small cottage halfway between the forest and the village. It is also made of stone, but a nicer light brown stone instead of what the castle is made of. Rosto always told me that it was stone and metal that were prevalent in Scanra, that the land wasn't very good for crops.

The cottage was obviously well taken care of; there was clear glass in the windows, and under it, a beautifully cultivated little garden. Roses of yellow and light pink and beautiful white lilies magnificently showed off their blossoms to anyone who was willing to look. They reminded me of those little Yamini roses Tunstall grows in the window box in a way. A few different types of herbs in the garden as well, but I did not stop to identify them. I caught sight of what looked like ivy climbing up the front of the stone.

Veya and her sister led us into the cottage; both of them put their bows down as they entered. They spoke quietly in Scanran before Veya's sister moved over to the cabinets and started pulling things down. After just a moment, Veya walked back over to us, pulling her quiver off as she moved.

"You'll have to forgive Andara," she said in Common. "She hasn't been good with people since our sister, Oraia, was killed working for the fief's lord," she continued softly. Rinny frowned at her.

"What happened?" She asked. Veya shrugged.

"We don't really know. He had her killed for whatever reason suited him. I don't pretend to understand him…it still hurts, though."

I nodded, knowing exactly how she feels. Losing someone you love, that you are close to, is hard. I've been through that before. I never want to go there again.

"I've heard stories from the castle," Veya said, bringing my attention back to her from my thoughts. "They say that he's mad for revenge…that he has people who have done something he didn't like, or wronged him imprisoned in his dungeons. One of the guards told me that one of the prisoners has been there for almost twenty years," she said. "They say that not even the Patsov himself could get out of there if he tried…"


	22. Overprotective

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard of Tortall  
Scanra

May 30, 267

Today was not a good day. Not only did it rain hard enough that there's a puddle in about a third of the cell, but it was just bad in general.

I didn't sleep very well last night, to begin with. When I woke up, I could hear the sound of a scratching quill as Rosto wrote feverishly. I sat up, stretching the stiff muscles in my neck and shoulders. Rosto glanced up at me over the book he was writing in. He paused, then went back to scratching out whatever it was that he was writing.

That was when I noticed that he was writing in a different one than I'd seen him writing in before. That one wasn't his journal, obviously, and that made me curious as to what it was.

After a few more minutes of scratching out words on the paper, only pausing to re-ink the quill when he needed to, Rosto stopped writing. He put the quill down, reaching over to close the inkwell, and put the book down on his pile to wait for the ink to dry. When he saw me looking at him, he raised an eyebrow.

"What were you doing?" I asked. He half-smiled and chuckled.

"Writing a song. I still get tunes stuck in my head sometimes, but I've never been able to play them until you gave Callingbird back to me." He picked up the book again, making sure that the ink was dry, and closed it.

He held it up so that I could see that most of the pages were slightly discolored on the edges and worn, as if he had gone through it numerous times while he'd been here.

"That's eighteen years worth of songs inspired by nothing but memories," he said, pausing to let out a soft chuckle. "Most of them were inspired by your mother and the memories I had of her."

A shadow of a smile appeared on his face, and his eyes had that far off look again. I'm starting to think that when Rosto and Ma have that look they're thinking about each other. It seems like both of them do that a lot.

"You really miss her, don't you?" I asked. A smirk appeared in place of the far-off smile, and he gave me a look that told me that I had just asked a very stupid question.

"Yes. Very much. It's been eighteen years since the last time I saw her, son. I've missed her every day that we've been apart," he said. He leaned his head back against the wall, the smirk long gone. "Whoever did this to me knew that the only thing that would hurt me would be to rip me away from my life and lock me behind bars that I could not escape from. My freedom was something I valued above all else besides my throne and my wife," he said, a sad look appearing on his thin face. "I still wish I could have seen her one last time…" He shook his head, his sorrowful gaze resting on the floor in front of him. It was as if he knew something as coming, and that his life was waning.

Suddenly, the door banged open, which seems to happen every time one of those guards comes in. It's irritating, really. Then again, I have to take into account that Ma drilled it into me that I ain't supposed to slam doors…

The guard dropped the tray on the table as usual, but stopped to look at me, his eyes narrowing. I didn't like that look. He disappeared out the door again, slamming it behind him. I glanced at Rosto, who was frowning at the door.

"Something's going on," he said. He shifted his position without seeming to notice, still watching the door. I could hear his breathing quicken slightly. There was a glint in his eyes that I couldn't identify as he looked at the wooden door.

Rosto got up and picked up his bowl, stirring the disgusting slop for a minute before sitting down again. I did the same even though I really didn't want to eat the stuff. At least the dinner they give you here is decent. I ate as much as I could stomach, knowing that I was going to need it if we tried an escape attempt.

Right after Rosto had finished with his bowl, the door opened again. This time, there was more than one guard, and they were all focused on me. Before I could react, Rosto was on his feet and between me and them. There was a menacing look to him, despite the thinness to him that made him seem like he couldn't do anything anymore.

One of the guards barked something in Scanran. Rosto shot something right back, his Scanran sounding cool and smooth after the guard's harsh growl. I still don't know what they said, but it turned bad when one of the other guards said something and Rosto got mad. Quicker than I would have thought he would be able to react to that, he punched the cove. It surprised me how much force he managed to put into it for someone who seems so weak. The guard dropped, seemingly unconscious.

The leader of the guards glanced between me and Rosto, his eyes narrowed. A moment later, he returned Rosto's action against the other guard in turn. Rosto dropped to his knees, but no farther. He looked up at the guard and said something else to the guard. The cove snapped, his eyes holding nothing but fury.

He grabbed Rosto by the upper arm and thrust him at one of the coves behind him, barking as he went. The guard glanced at me, then turned to follow the others out the door (taking their unconscious guard with them), slamming it behind him.

For the first time in the five days (Mithros, it seems like it's been forever, not just five days!) I've been in here, I was alone. A rat squeaked in the corner, scampering over to where Rosto had his things by the pallet. I moved a little and shooed it away.

Time passed slowly; I was bored beyond all belief. Despite that it really has only been five days since I was thrown in here, I've gotten used to Rosto's company. I'm not one who likes being alone in a situation like this, either.

The sun was starting to set when the door opened again and Rosto was thrust back in. He hit the ground with a thud and didn't move. I looked up at the guard, who just slammed the door behind him. There was something familiar about that guard…

Even without moving, I could see the angry red stripes on the pallid skin of Rosto's back and the blood slowly dripping to the floor. He had been whipped. There were other wounds on his body that I could see, too. Already dark bruises and welts covered any skin left unmarked by the bloody gashes. He let out a low moan, moving just a little, wincing violently when pain shot through his back.

I was frozen for a minute, unable to think of what to do. As I got to my feet, the door opened again, and a guard I didn't recognize entered. He was younger than the rest of them, closer to my age. He had a tray and a bundle of black cloth with him.

"Don't worry, I'm only here to help," he said in heavily accented Common. "They tortured him for protecting you and punching that guard. I can't help you much, but this will certainly help. And I've got some new clothes for him; there are some bandages hidden in the shirt. It's all I can do for you right now," he said. "I'll try to sneak a healer down here for the worst of his wounds tomorrow, if I can."

He put the tray down and disappeared out the door, nodding to me before he closed it with a _click._ I stared at the door for another moment, then realized that I needed to do something.

I moved over to Rosto, kneeling next to him. I winced just looking at the mess his back was. He moved slightly, another moan sounding from deeper in his chest as his consciousness returned. I got up again, moving over to the tray that the guard had left. There was a bowl of warm water and a pile of clean rags on it. Perfect.

I picked it up and moved it over to the ground near the pallet, then moved back over to Rosto. By now, he had woken up and clearly in a great deal of pain. His jaw was clinched, and a muscle in his face was twitching as he seemed to be trying to fight the feeling of pain rushing through him. I knelt by him again, leaning in a little closer.

"Rosto." He met my eyes when I spoke to him, but gave no other sign that he heard me. "Do you think you could bear the pain if I moved you over to the pallet?" I asked. After a second, he nodded weakly, grinding his teeth together when the movement caused pain.

Very slowly and very carefully, I helped him up and over to the pallet, trying to cause him as little plain as possible. He winced violently with every movement, refusing to cry out, but we made it to the pallet without too much difficulty. Once he was settled on the pallet, I got to work cleaning the wounds as best I could. Admittedly, I feel pretty bad that I was the cause of this. If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't be hurt like this.

With the blood cleaned off, the cuts weren't as bad as they seemed. There was a jar of ointment on the tray, as well, I had noticed earlier. There was a set of instructions under it, saying that it would help heal an open cut faster and better. I opened the jar and smelled it cautiously. It smelled remarkably like the stuff a healer put on my arm when I was ten and I'd done something (I don't remember what) that Ma had told me not to, managing to open a big gash on my forearm. Ma hadn't been very pleased with me, and instead of having it healed right off, Ma had made me wait a day to get the point across. I still don't remember what it was that I did, but I know that I never did _that_ again.

I dabbed it on one of the wounds and Rosto let out a stifled yelp. Apparently, it stung. He moved his head just slightly to glare at me out of the corner of his eye, giving me a look that said 'That hurts.' I raised my eyebrows at him and went back to what I had been doing. He hissed all the way through it.

At the moment, he's watching me write in my journal, unable to do so himself, and obviously bored. I'm going to stop and at least try to entertain him and get his mind off the pain, but in this place, who knows if I can. Maybe if I tell stories about Ma…well, I'll just have to think about it…

* * *

May 31, 267

Rosto's doing better now. At least, his back is. I think he's caught a fever or sommat, even after a healer came in and healed the wounds most of the way through. It is apparent now that this isn't the first time they've done this to him.

Without his shirt, I can see other scars that clearly didn't come from the Court of the Rogue (and how thin he is). He has a brand mark on his shoulder that is the same as the symbol on the guard's uniforms, as well as a number of other miscellaneous scars. I think he's been tortured.

Even if he was the Rogue, I don't understand how someone could do that to him. No one should go through this. Even if I hadn't just found out that Rosto's my da, I'd still feel the same. He's been trapped here for eighteen years, unable to escape, being tortured physically and mentally, starving and alone.

Something has to be done so that we can get out of here. I know that it would make Ma happy if she could have Rosto back, because I've seen how much she misses him in the last few months. He's been gone since before I was born, and she's raised me as best she could, she deserves for something good to happen to her. I'm going to make sure we get out, and that _both_ of us get out alive.


	23. Guards

From the Journal of Rebakah Cooper,  
Provost's Guardswoman  
In Scanra

June 1, 267

Some progress has been made so far. It ain't what I'd like it to be, but it's something, at least. Because of Veya and her sister, things are beginning to look up. I might even be able to find my son now, if he doesn't find us first.

Yesterday afternoon, having had no luck with anything we had tried so far , we found Veya waiting for us when we got back to our little camp. She was sitting by the fire, sharpening a dagger with a whetstone when we got there. She looked up, a grin appearing on her face.

"To what do we owe this visit?" I asked in Scanran. Her light green eyes twinkled as she put down the stone and the blade.

"Andara had a wonderful idea this morning that might just help you," she said. She got to her feet, walking over to us. "One of our closest friends is a young guard at the castle. He came to see us yesterday morning and told us that one of the high security prisoners had punched a guard and was being tortured. He has a cell-mate who arrived only this last week," she said. Now I understood where the twinkle came from, in more ways than one. Not only was she infatuated with this young friend of hers, but she seemed to have this feeling that she was doing the right thing. The one week old-cell-mate could only be Jarred.

"I told him about you," she stopped for a second, seeing the alarm on my face. "I promise you, you can trust Jenos. He can keep a secret, and he's a good man," she said. "But, I told him about you and what you said about your son. He went on t' say that the new prisoner was a younger man, also with light blond hair and unusual dark eyes. I think he said that he also had a dog head earring in one ear," she said, frowning as she tried to remember.

I felt my heart jump at this. Jarred was alive, or he had been the day before. He was still alive; he still had a chance of getting out there. I know he can – he's as clever as a fox, just like Rosto. Something niggled at me. She said "also with light blond hair." Does this mean his cell mate is blond? My logical Dog self cuffed me in the back of the head, _Beka, you silly thing. You are in Scanra: EVERYONE here is blond._

"The high risk cell mate, the one who was beaten," I said, forming a question.

"Tortured," she corrected quickly.

"Tortured," I corrected, "He's high risk because he's a threat to the Lord. You would want him out too, wouldn't you? Give the Lord his comeuppance?" I asked and knew her answer almost as soon as she thought it.

"You bet your baton I do," she said with a grin that showed her teeth.

"We'll see. Mind you, if I can only get my son, I'm going to do just that. But I'll try for this high risk prisoner as well." I couldn't promise anything and she knew that, and she nodded her head to let me know she understood.

"Jenos can get you into the castle without being noticed. Both of you. All you have to do is meet him by the river tomorrow morning, and he'll take you there. There are women guards at the castle, so, once in uniform, you two should be able to get in without a fuss." She watched me hopefully. I couldn't help but grin. This was exactly what we needed – the cove who murdered Kindan is up at that castle, and the only way we were going to catch him was to go in and get him, or at least chase him out.

There was one problem though. Rinny. Rinny couldn't speak Scanran, and she didn't look like she was Scanran, either. Her skin tone is a nice light coppery tan that would have looked more in place in the Kyprish Isles or in Carthak but most certainly would not fit in with all of the pale-skinned Scanrans in their bone-cold-even-in-June country. If it hadn't been for that, she could have pulled it off, I think.

I thanked Veya, who disappeared off into the woods again. Then I turned to Jewel, who sighed and offered a half-smile.

"I can't go in there, I know," she said quietly. I nodded sadly. "It's better that way," she continued. "I'd only give you away and we would never get our job done then. And you have a better chance of being able to find that cove and free Jarred if you're alone, since you can speak the language and all."

"Don't you worry about me. I'll find something to do." She said, clapping me on the shoulder, "Marshall up some villagers, storm the castle, or if that dinna work, we'll have a great big party or sommat," she teased, but I knew she meant well and that she'd be good. Keep herself busy.

With a sigh, I nodded. She was exactly right, unfortunately. Since she didn't speak the language, and it took me months of work (and I had help, because Kora helped me whenever we got a chance) to become fluent, that would be a problem. We didn't have time for me to teach her the whole language, much less all the vocabulary she would need in there.

"If we get lucky, it will only take a few days. If I can find the cove we're after, and get Jarred out, then everything will work perfectly," I said. "I'll go and meet this Jenos and see if we can trust him. If we can, I'll go ahead and go, and send you word as I can," I said, taking charge.

"Lot of 'if's'" said Rinny, "but you and Jarred, you can tell it, can't you? We'll get our murderer. He's got that same sense, its not till now that I noticed that you were so alike in that second sense. It's Jarred I'm worried about. We need to get him out." She said, looking in the general vicinity of the castle. "Well, you need to get him out."

I nodded. I wanted my boy back, that instant. Woe to the man foolish enough to take him into that castle. I'll catch him in my teeth and I'll tear apart the world to get him back. I have to. Goodwin always said I was like a mother wolf in my care over my family. I'll tear the slug who took my son. No one messes with my family. No one.

It's rather amusing to me now that I think about it – I've been the senior partner for so long, it seems to be habit now. I haven't been with anyone but Kayly since they took me off Evening Watch because I was pregnant with Jarred. Back then, I was still partnered with Ersken, Tunstall, and Goodwin. Goodness, where have the years gone?

Where was I? Oh, yes – I picked what I needed out of my pack, putting it into a smaller satchel I could throw diagonally over my shoulder, and went to talk to the cove Veya said would meet us (or just me in this case) at the river. When I got to the river, there was already someone standing there pacing. He had light brown hair and was wearing the uniform of the castle guard. When he turned, he caught sight of me. He froze, then stiffened.

"Who are you?" he snarled in Scanran, sounding very much like a wolf.

"Easy," I said, putting my hands up, as though I really was approaching a wolf. "I'm to meet a friend of a friend here."

"Perhaps I know your friend," he said cautiously. He's tense, which is understandable. In any court of law, he'd be committing treason, which is a capitol offense, which will get him hanged by the neck in 'civilized' countries, and either disemboweled, strung and quartered, or dismembered in others.

"Veya sent me." I said carefully. He relaxed, not all the way, but the name of his friend, whom I could tell he thought of 'fondly' eased him somewhat. I could tell clearly that there as something going on between to the two of them, considering the way they had both been acting. I figured that I could trust him a little, if he could help me do what I came here to do.

"I'm Beka Cooper," I said. "Veya told me that you would help me get my son out of the castle and catch the Rat we're chasing," I continued. He nodded.

"That is what I want to do. I'm sick of seeing Lord Calyn do this to folk. It ain't right," he continued. That name, it rings a bell. I can't place it, but I know I've heard it somewhere before. Something someone said to me once. Now that I think about it, I'm inclined to think about Rosto and his sister, Angelina, but for the life of me, I can't see how she plays into this at all. I know it means something, I just can't remember what.

"What do I need to do?" I asked, switching to Scanran. I saw a flicker of a smile cross the man's face when I spoke. Once again, I'm thankful I did all that work to learn Scanran for Rosto. It's come in handy with my Dog work.

"I have a uniform that should fit you from what Veya told me, and since you can speak Scanran without an accent, you shouldn't have a problem fitting in. All we have to do is get back into the castle, which also shouldn't be a problem. We have changes in the guard so often, I don't think anyone will notice you," he said. I nodded, staying silent for the moment.

Jenos broke the silence by moving over to a small pack he had brought with him and kneeling by it. He rummaged through it, pulling out the separate components of the uniform he had brought for me.

"You'll want to change before we head up to the castle. I'll show you the way, then we can figure out the other arrangements so that you can get in and out as fast as possible," he said. He stood up and walked over to where I was standing, holding out the uniform for me to take.

I took them and disappeared off back into the woods, changing only when I knew I was out of sight. I was never comfortable changing in front of my group-mates. I just felt uncomfortable showing that much skin. And since Rosto and I did what we did, I never showed any man that much flesh willingly. Not even healers. Actually, now that I think on it, Kora's the last person I remember showing anything. We had gone swimming at a lake outside of Corus with the children, and she had commented on how it weren't fair for me to have the bigger child and not have the stretch-marks to show for it. I did have one, but I kept it hidden, because it's mine and reminds me of my son and my husband, and also acos I wanted to tease her. Still. Goodness, what's with me and these lapses into memory? Back to the case.

I would have preferred to keep at least some part of my Dog uniform, but the uniform of the castle guard was brown, from the breeches to the leather jerkin with a white shirt, instead of all black. It fit well enough. I folded up my Dog uniform and stuffed it into my bag.

I walked back to the river to find Jenos waiting nervously for me – he jumped when I stepped on a twig when I wasn't paying attention. He glanced around before picking up his pack and asking me to follow him. He was too busy being on guard to have even looked in my direction. Mind you, he wouldn't have seen nothing, nor do i think he'd have wanted to look at me, when Veya's very name made him light up like it did.

The walk to the castle was uneventful and no one cast a glance at either of us as we entered. Jenos stopped to talk to someone, who handed him a small set of keys. He led me to what seemed to be the barracks for the female guards, which were on the outer wall of the castle, just above the actual dungeons.

"I'll show you the dungeons in the morning, but everything else is up to you. If you stay too long, one of the senior guards may notice. Your son is in one of the high security cells with another prisoner; get him out, catch your prey, and go. It's safer that way, for all of us," he said. Then he closed the door behind me, having left the key on the small bedside table. I was struck by how set these guards are with their lot in life. Almost like they've given up. It makes me mad, and it makes me want to help them. Not just the guards, but all the people being so unjustly treated. That's what being a Dog is about. Justice, fairness, and equal treatment under the law. Alas, Scanra is not my jurisdiction. Won't stop me from trying, though.

This morning, Jenos appeared at my door just as I had finished braiding my hair. I was already dressed in the borrowed uniform and was running through vague plans in my head. He silently led me to the guard's mess hall. After showing by example how things were done, we ate a silent breakfast of fresh rolls (good and hearty, but not Cookie's) and sausage.

After that, he showed me the way around the castle, saving the dungeons for last. There, he led me down the halls, stopping every once in a while to point to something else. My 'job' in these dungeons would be to, for the sake of propriety, keep an eye on the female prisoners, though really, it didn't matter. The female prisoners were skinny to the point of skeletal. Their graying skin was pulled tight over their bones, they were breastless, their hair matted and greasy, and their eyes were sunken into their heads. They weren't much to look at, and it was almost painful to 'keep an eye on them.' Our job, apart from 'keeping an eye on them,' our job was to hand out the slop that constituted for food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and kept them that inch from death. I could see why they looked ill: the slop was disgusting.

"These are the folk from the village who have done something to offend Lord Calyn," he said in an undertone, having switched to Common. I glanced through the barred window of a couple of the cells, seeing people in rags sitting there. He turned, stopping just past a hall where there were three separate cells, each seemingly large, from the space between the doors. I could be wrong though. They could just have really thick walls and actually be tiny cells.

"We aren't allowed down there unless we're on guard duty or delivering food to the prisoners. There is a changing of the guard three times a day, but otherwise there is always a guard or two in the hallway," he said, pausing for a moment. "That is where they have your son. He's in the farthest cell from where we are now."

I itched. I could feel my son. It's a mother thing. Like feeling your heart beat twice as strong acos you know, know, your child is there and alive. I figured I could take on the existing guards, bring them both down with a sound beating from a strong stick, and free my son. I wanted to, I itched to do it. I could feel my heart beating stronger, almost three times its usual fervor. I guess Jenos could hear it, acos he squeezed my arm.

"All the advice I can offer you is to bide your time," he said, giving me a pointed look, "Don't rush anything." I nodded to let him know I understood. He led me silently back up to the barracks level. As we left, I couldn't help but send my thoughts to Jarred. I wasn't psychic, nor could I communicate with him, but I could still say it, even if it was only to myself. _Be brave, my heart. Just a bit longer and then you'll be free. You, and your friend. Mother's coming soon, I swear it. And woe to the man who has the idiocy to face my wrath._ For the briefest second, my heart skipped, beating loudly in my chest, so strong I had to put a hand to my heart to still it. Jarred knew, he had to know I was thinking about him, had to know I was close. _Soon, my son._

I looked at Jenos and he nodded to me and walked away only when he was sure I wouldn't attempt to storm the dungeons.

So far, I've been trying to formulate everything. I headed down to the mess hall again for dinner, and then came back here. My chance for getting to my son was the food. At least, that's what my gut told me. A plan is whirring in my head, but I dare not write it down for fear of jinxing it. Now, I only have to figure out how I'm going to do everything. Later then.


	24. Adrenaline

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard of Tortall  
Scanra

June 3, 267

I'm not even sure where to start right now. Well, I guess the beginning would probably be the best place, but everything's swirling around in my head that I'm not sure exactly where I need to start writing it down.

I'll back up a couple of days and start there, at the first of the month. By then, Rosto still hadn't spoken a word, even when I had asked him questions. I was highly irritated by that, because I'm not one who likes getting the silent treatment.

At that point, his back was almost totally healed, other than the periodic spasms that made him hiss in pain. And the fever I thought he had caught had disappeared. Nothing really happened until yesterday, the second, though.

"So," I started. Rosto looked up at me, having been writing in his own journal now that he was able. He raised his eyebrows in a silent question and waited for me to speak again. "Being as I can't seem to come up with anything, have you gotten any ideas for a plan to get out of here?" I asked. There was a long silence as he seemed to contemplate something before he finally spoke.

"Well, there are only a few options that I can think of," he said, his voice raspy and hoarse. "The simplest being to wait until a guard unlocks the door, since I can't pick it, and make a run for it. But, I know from experience that that won't work. Tried it three times before they changed the lock. If you try to run and they catch you, you get a severe beating or a whipping," he continued, grimacing at the thought. "The other simple option is to make said guard drowsy after coming in with food for us. Neither of the two are the best, but it's all I can think of with limited resources." I nodded, drifting off in thought for a moment as I ran ideas through my head based on the simple ideas that Rosto had mentioned.

"I'll tell you plain and simple, son, it hurts, to say the very least. It ain't a pleasant thing at all…." He muttered, shooting a dirty look at the door.

Just then, I could hear footsteps sounding out there, drawing closer to our cell. We exchanged glances, both of us wondering what was going on. Keys rattled in the lock and the door swung open. One of the guards from the hall – one of the ones who had been my escort from the cell I had been tossed in first – stood at the door. He held a couple of strips of (slightly wadded up) dark cloth that I took to be blindfolds.

"Put these on. Milord wants to see you. Both of you," he said. He tossed the wadded up strips into the cell, and closed the door behind him again. Rosto was frowning and made no move to retrieve the cloth. I watched him for a moment, wondering what he was thinking as he watched the door. Finally, with a sigh, he shifted, reaching for one of the blindfolds .

"Go ahead and put it on," he said softly. "I don't know what he wants, with both of us, much less, but we don't have much of a choice about it," he told me, pressing his lips into a thin line. I did as I was told, but left the strip of cloth resting on my forehead, as did Rosto.

He proceeded to calmly start putting his pile of journals into a satchel that I hadn't noticed sitting under the pile. He glanced up at me as he did so, conveying without words that this was our best chance to get out. After he had everything packed all of his journals and the other books, he paused. With great reverence, he wrapped Callingbird up in the polishing cloth I'd handed over and slipped it into the case, which I'd also given him. With a pained look, he placed it carefully in the bag, making sure that it was safe and secure. After that, he rose again, moving over to where I was sitting.

"Jarred, there is a very real chance that I may not make it out of here alive. I want you to give these to Beka if I don't, all right?" He asked. I couldn't deny him that request. I nodded, taking the bag as he held it out. He gave me a grateful look before retreating to his usual spot.

I examined the bag for a moment, noting that it had a long strap that I could throw over my shoulder and head easily to sling it over my chest. Closer inspection proved that there was still enough space left inside it for me to put my own bag. The guards would never know the difference, either way.

I settled the strap over my head and into the most comfortable position I could. I had it secured just as the guard re-entered. He walked over to Rosto, who had once again seated himself, and hauled my father roughly to his feet and thrust him out the door at another guard. The other guard tugged down the blindfold, and tied Rosto's hands behind his back. The guard in the cell did the same to me.

We were led through the maze of hallways and stairs (again, in my case). Admittedly, this time, I didn't run into as many things as before. I still ran into a doorframe. That hurt.

I heard Rosto grunt as he was shoved to his knees; seconds later, I was, too. My blindfold was removed and my eyes started to sting from the brightness of the room. I could see Rosto out of the corner of my eye his head bent as he tried to make the stinging stop and his eyes adjust. It had been a long time since he's seen so much light, I gathered, from his stories. I could also see, with the guard standing in front of him, that he was trying to loosen the ropes to slip his hands out.

I looked up again, my eyes catching on the lord again, up upon his dais. He got up and walked down the steps at an even pace. He stopped at the very bottom, right in front of Rosto. I heard a stifled gasp from beside me and had to turn to look at Rosto. The expression on his face was one of utter disbelief, and his eyes held a look of betrayal and horror.

"Calyn?" His voice carried his shock as he continued to stare at the lord, who I glanced back at. He wore a smirk and was chuckling in a very disturbing way.

"That's right, Rosto. It's me – Cal. It's been a long time, hasn't it? Have you enjoyed your accommodations? I picked them just for you…" There was a glint in his eyes that I really didn't like. It once again struck me that he wasn't someone that could be trusted in the least. "I'm surprised you're still sane after almost twenty years in that cell," he said, the mad laughter still coloring his voice.

I glanced back at Rosto to see confusion and hurt now written on his face as he stared at the lord, Calyn, as he had called him. I was completely confused, but then, I didn't know the connection they had.

"Cal…" Rosto shook his head. "How could you do this to me?" he asked, unable to keep the hurt from his voice.

"It was my revenge, dear step-brother," Cal said in a deadly soft tone.

"What did I ever do to you?" Rosto asked, his tone changing from hurt to disdain.

"You existed! You were the perfect son – because of you, Da' never cared about me! It was 'Rikki and Rosto' this, and 'Rikki and Rosto' that. He constantly said to people 'It's like they're really brothers – like they're both my sons.' He never cared about me – all because you had to be perfect!" Calyn's face had turned bright red through all of this.

"You're delusional," Rosto said quietly.

"I was his first-born, and all because of _you_ , he didn't even care about me at all!"

"Cal," Rosto started, only to be backhanded and knocked to the ground and instant later. "I never did anything to you, Cal. You did it to yourself," he said, a thin like of blood dripping from a split in his lower lip. "You did all of that to yourself – you secluded yourself and made no attempt to make Da' proud. Rikki and I only did what we felt was right – we did our best…" Rosto said, shaking his head again.

He stared at Cal for a few moments, his dark eyes boring into his step-brother. I could see glints in his eyes of darkness, of something I hadn't seen before.

"You ripped me away from my life for this?This petty revenge for nothing? You're not the man I always thought you were. And now, I demand retribution for what you have taken from me-"

Suddenly, Rosto was on his feet and his hands were free. I hadn't even seen him get the ropes loose enough to get them off. He jerked a guard's sword out of the scabbard, eliciting a cry of outrage from the guard whose sword it was. The cove moved forward to retrieve it but stopped when Cal grabbed the other guard's sword.

The two guards looked at each other and then slowly backed away, getting completely clear. Rosto moved behind me and used the sharp blade to cut the rope binding my hands. I got up as fast as I could and scrambled out of the way. I didn't want to be anywhere near those swords when they were flying.

I can honestly say that I was worried for Rosto – as much as he seemed at home with that sword in his hand, he hadn't held a weapon since before I was born. He hadn't had any practice in years, and that could be dangerous. Surprisingly, when I looked between the two of them, it was Rosto, not Cal, who seemed to be holding the sword correctly. After watching as many of Aniki's duels as I have (which are sword duels, compared to the traditional duels with dagger that most of the Rogues have traditionally used), it's pretty easy to tell how a sword is supposed to be held. What really worried me was that Rosto seemed to be tiring already.

As I watched, Cal lunged and almost hit Rosto before he could block it. Metal crashed against metal and Rosto managed to hold his ground. Cal was faster and obviously stronger, but his blows were haphazard and seemed random. Rosto barely ducked a few of them. I never would have thought that a duel would be the best idea, but then again, I don't know how Rosto thinks.

Back to the duel. Rosto continued to block as best he could, dodging when he could instead of trying to simply block everything. For the most part, he managed to do it. The duel seemed to go on longer than it did, but I had adrenaline running through my system already.

Every once in a while, Rosto would attack, then draw back again and wait for a more opportune moment. I could see that he was visibly tiring, but I also noticed that Cal's attacks had gotten even wilder and there was a mad gleam in his eyes. I couldn't help but wonder how that boded for Rosto.

He dodged another strike and shifted into the worst position he could. Cal turned, bringing his blade down in a way that Rosto hadn't expected. The sword caught Rosto in the arm, causing him to yelp and jerk back. Cal started laughing hysterically. It was at that point where I really realized that he was completely insane.

His face pale and showing as minimal an amount of pain as possible, Rosto looked at his opponent. He spun and kicked Cal's legs out from under him. He looked down at his step-brother, all of the expression disappearing from his face.

"You don't deserve this," he said in a soft voice that made my skin crawl. It didn't sound like the Rosto I'd gotten to know. It sounded…dark. Almost evil, even. He thrust the sword through Cal's shoulder, effectively pinning him to the floor. A yell echoed in the room before becoming dry sobs and then quieting completely.

Rosto staggered backwards, looking worn and tired. His arm was bleeding heavily, and he really was paler than usual. He sank to the ground, trying to catch his breath and stem the flow of crimson from the gash on his arm.

Everyone in the room was frozen, myself included. I was still shocked, but I recovered my senses first. I moved over to Rosto, pulling my tunic off as I went. It struck me that it was a good thing that I had been alternating between my own black shirt and the one that was part of my Dog uniform, at that point. I couldn't use the tunic – Ma would kill me if I did that, I just know it.

I tore strips from the shirt before Rosto could object. He silently submitted to letting me bandage the wound. I had made it clear that I wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Ouch. Not so tight, son," Rosto muttered when I started tying the strips over the gash.

"Sorry." I will admit that I wasn't paying as much attention as I should – I was focused on the makeshift bandage that I was working on. The gash was bad enough that it would need a healer if, or when, we had time. I fashioned a sling as well,

When I was done, I brushed my hands off and got to my feet, turning to help him up, too. When I turned around, the first thing I noticed was that the guards were gone. That wasn't a good sign. If they had gone to get more guards, we were not in a good situation.

We exchanged glances before we started off. It was better to get moving fast, so that we had a better chance of getting out of there before the guards came back. I pushed the large door open, holding it for a moment for Rosto and looking down the halls.

"Do you remember any of the layout from when you got out those times?" I asked. I glanced back at him and he shook his head.

"That was over ten years ago, and I never got anywhere near here," he said.

In the end, we started down the hallway to the right, which led down two flights of steps and around a multitude of corners. It was after the second flight of stairs that it occurred to me that we were probably backtracking from where we had come from. I rounded a corner that opened into another hallway and looked one way, only to be slammed into by something warm and solid as I turned to the other direction.

"Jarred!" I was startled by the sudden weight and nearly fell over from the force of the impact. Ma hugged me tightly, obviously unwilling to let me go again for the time being. When she finally did pull back, there were tears in her blue-grey eyes as she smiled up at me.

She hugged me again, looser this time, before she actually let me go. Her eyes flicked over me, checking for any injuries I may have received.

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" she scolded me. "You need to be more careful," she added, sniffing just a little. That was when she noticed that we weren't alone.

She half turned, opening her mouth to say something when she just stopped and stared in disbelief. Rosto couldn't take his eyes off of her, that was clear. Very slowly, she reached out a hand to touch his cheek, unsure whether or not he was real. He unconsciously seemed to nestle his cheek into her hand and partially close his eyes, as if it was a long kept habit that had never been broken, even though they had spent years apart.

"Rosto?" she asked softly. I had never heard her voice like that - it was just different from any way she had addressed me, or anyone else that I had heard, before. A small smile appeared on Rosto's face accompanied by both joy and sadness.

"It's really me, Beka," he said softly, raising his uninjured arm to touch her hand with his.

"You've certainly looked better," Ma replied brazenly, her eyes glittering. Rosto barked a laugh, then pulled her closer to embrace her.

"I'll agree, there, love. I've felt better, too," he told her. She looked up at him, her expression one that I had never seen her use before.

"Um, I hate to break up this reunion, but we need to get out of here," I said. "Now would be good, actually," I added when a small group of guards appeared around one of the corners. Ma and Rosto both glanced in the direction I was looking. They exchanged glances for the briefest part of a second and we were off, racing through the halls as best we could.

Ma led the way, ducking through the maze of hallways with ease. She clearly knew her way around. Not to mention, this probably wasn't exactly how she had been expecting things to go. I could hear the pounding of the guards' footsteps on the stone behind us as they raced to catch up. Worse, I could hear Rosto panting (which I had expected, since he'd been in that cell for so long) before either Ma or I was close to winded. I will admit that I was a little surprised by how well he managed to keep up with us, but that will teach me to underestimate my own father.

We ducked into the kitchens, Ma leading us through the minefield of people and pots. It smelled horrid – like that mush they were feeding us for breakfast. That makes me honestly glad that we got something decent for even one meal of the day, if it being charred or undercooked can be considered descent. Then again, living at the Dove, I've been spoiled by Corcoran's cooking.

From the kitchens we entered the mess hall, where there was a single solitary person writing on a piece of paper at one of the tables. He looked up, jumping to his feet as we neared. That was when I recognized him. It was the cove who had killed the nobleman. He was the one we had come all this way to find and arrest. His eyes widened when he saw me. He obviously know who I was.

"Ma!" She stopped and turned, glancing between where I had stopped and the guard. "It's him," I added.

The cove instantly started off, only to be tripped by Rosto, who, standing behind me, had done some quick thinking. The cove tumbled over, hitting the ground with a thud. With horror in his eyes, he scrabbled at the hilt of his belt-knife.

Ma and I both lunged for him, but he got the blade free and thrust it into his own chest before either of us could do anything. Ma muttered something that sounded Scanran as she glared at the cove. I glanced at her, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rosto kneel down and pluck the dagger out, using it to slit the cove's throat.

Ma and I both stared at him incredulously. He shrugged as he got up and brushed himself off. "He was dead anyway. It was a mercy killing," he said. "If it's that important, we can talk about it later. We need to move before they get through the kitchen," he added, glancing toward the door where several loud, metallic bangs issued from. Ma gave him a scathing look but got to her feet and led us out of the mess hall.

The whole time we were running through the hallways, we were being chased. Several hallways and a stairway later, I was running purely on adrenaline, but it was enough. Until, that is, they started shooting arrows at us. We managed to dodge most of them (one barely missed me and opened a cut on my arm, and another did a similar thing to Ma, only it was right above her boot) at first, but it only got worse when the number of arrows increased.

Almost as soon as we turned the next corner, we reached what turned out to be the door out. All of us panting, and our eyes stinging, we raced down the hill that the castle sat on, dodging more arrows as we went. Soon, though, we were out of range.

Until we got past the gate, that is. The gate, which was the only place in the wall that was open, had a guard tower built into both sides. Just moments after passing the gate's threshold, arrows started raining down on us. For the most part, we managed to dodge those as well, except for one. I had thought that they had stopped shooting arrows at us until a searing pain shot up my leg from my knee.

The next thing I knew, I was skidding across the rocky road. My hands felt like they were burning and I could already tell that I was going to have a number of nasty bruises. Ma stopped and doubled back, helping me to my feet while Rosto apparently kept a lookout for more arrows. I was less than pleased, to say the least. Things like that always seem to happen to me. When I tested my leg, I found that I could barely put any weight on it. It hurt like crazy when I tried.

"Do you think you can walk on it?" Ma asked softly.

"I think so, but I can't put much weight on it," I replied. "I'll need help." Ma nodded, and moved closer so that she could help me. It took a long time to cover only a little ground because every time I moved, there was a sharp jolt of pain where the arrow was buried. It wasn't pleasant, to say the least, and I can now partially understand how Tay felt after the incident on the rooftops. When you can't walk on your own, you feel sort of helpless.

It was surprising, though, that there were no guards chasing us. We – Rosto, really – had dealt a possibly fatal blow to the fief's lord, and killed a guard on our way out. Not that I was complaining or anything. It just didn't make all that much sense to me.

We were about halfway back to the camp when both Ma and I had to rest. She helped me over to one of the trees – we had left the main road as soon as we were out of sight of the guard towers – and let me stand on my own as best I could.

I let my back rest against the tree before I just slid down to a comfortable sitting position, with my knee turned so that the arrow was only barely resting on the ground. I closed my eyes with a sigh of relief when the pain lessened and I could think properly again.

When I opened my eyes, I found that Ma and Rosto were both standing right in front of me and looking at each other. Neither one spoke or even opened their mouths to try to. Ma reached and touched his cheek again, as if she didn't believe that he was really standing there. Eighteen years is a long time to be separated, particularly because I know that she thought he was dead for most of it.

"Rosto…" Ma had tears in her eyes as she watched him. Then, he pulled her into his arms and held her to his chest. Silent sobs shook her body. Rosto rubbed circles on her back, trying to comfort her as best he could.

"Shh, Beka. It's really me, love. It's okay," he said softly. After a few moments, Ma pulled back, nodding and wiping her tears away. She turned to me, kneeling down next to me.

"We need to get back to camp – do you think you can make it back with help?" she asked. I nodded, pulling myself up with only a little help.

"I think so. I don't think it's as bad as it feels, but I'm certain that I still can't put much weight on it with the arrow still in there," I told her. She smiled slightly and moved to help me again. Suddenly, I was extremely homesick for Corus. Other than that trip to Port Caynn, this is my first time out of Corus at all. And I miss my puppy.

It was very slow progress, but eventually, we reached the camp. Rinny was sitting on one of the fallen logs that had made it such an idea location, writing something down. Sitting next to her was a mot with golden blond hair and light eyes who I didn't recognize.

When Rinny heard us, she looked up and the quill she had been writing with left the paper, and almost left her grasp. The other mot just watched us, saying nothing as Ma helped me over to one of the logs.

Rinny gasped when Rosto stepped out of the trees behind us. She dropped the quill entirely then and stood up. She glanced at me and Ma before returning her gaze to Rosto, who was frowning slightly.

"You're the Piper – the Rogue. But…you were dead…" she said, not believing her eyes. Rosto chuckled at her reaction.

"You're almost right there. I almost was dead." Ros–


	25. Steam

From the journal of Jarred Cooper  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard of Tortall  
Scanra

June 4, 267

I got interrupted by Ma and Rosto when I was writing last night. I'll go back to where I left off, since I wasn't done yet.

Rinny just stared at Rosto as Ma helped me over to the log and started to pull things out of her pack so that she could properly bandage my knee. There was silence in the air after Rosto's last comment. It lasted for several moments, during which Rosto walked over to where Ma and I were and sat down heavily with his back against the log. He let out a sigh, closed his eyes, and leaned his head back.

It was a moment later that Ma managed to pull out arrow, which caused me to let out a loud yelp. Everyone jumped and looked at me as I ground my teeth in an attempt to keep from making any more such noises.

Ma cleaned the wound, dabbing it with a few ointments that she had stashed in her pack. It stung like crazy. She wrapped bandages around the wound when she was done, making sure they were tight enough to keep it from bleeding too much, and loose enough that it didn't hurt or cut off the circulation. She looked at me as she got up, making sure that she didn't knock into my knee as she got to her feet.

"You're lucky, Jarred – it doesn't look too bad. We can stop for a healer for the two of you at the next town or village we come to," she said. "If those guards are going to do what I think they will do, then we need to get out of here as soon as possible and head back to Corus." She stopped and looked around for a moment, putting her hands on her hips.

Rinny picked up her inkwell and quill, moving over to her pack and putting everything she had scattered around it away. When she stood, she walked back over to the other mot, who spoke quietly to her, then gave her a hug in farewell.

Ma stepped over to the two of them, speaking a little louder as she thanked the mot (who they still have not told me anything about) and said farewell. Rosto and I exchanged glances, both seeming like outsiders because we hadn't been there.

The mot disappeared into the trees while Ma and Rinny proceeded to saddle the horses and the pony while Rosto and I sat there watching them. When they had done that, they packed up whatever was left out from the various packs and the bedrolls.

Rinny still looked stunned as she quietly packed up. Honestly, I was a bit stunned that Rosto was still alive, too. I wouldn't have thought that after eighteen years, he would be alive, trapped in a prison here in Scanra, and still trying to get out. I will admit that I was almost ( _almost_ ) looking forward to Rinny finding out that Rosto was my father as well. I didn't know how she was going to react to it, being as it's a complete mystery to most people. Other than Aniki, Phelan, the Westovers, Tunstall, Goodwin, and Lord Gershom. I wonder if Aunt Lorine, Uncle Will, or Uncle Nilo know. And then there's Aunt Diona. I don't think she and Ma have talked to each other in years. I don't really remember, actually. I'll have to ask Ma sometime, if I remember to.

A few moments later, Rosto rose, brushing his hands off while he watched Ma and Rinny making the last adjustments. He turned and offered me a hand up with his good hand. I let him help me, then tested my weight on my led.

A twinge of sharp pain ran through my leg, but it was bearable. I limped over to horses, where Ma helped me mount up. Rinny was already in the saddle by then, and Ma moved to do the same. Once mounted, she adjusted herself so that Rosto could ride behind her. Two to a saddle ain't comfortable most of the time, but they didn't seem to mind.

We stopped only once for me and Rosto to get that healing, and so that Ma and Rinny could buy enough supplies to last us for a while. There was nothing but silence in the group after that. Ma and Rosto rode ahead a little, though neither of them really spoke much from what I can tell. We had a quick dinner before we all collapsed. I don't even remember if I got as far as getting under the blanket of my bedroll. I know that Ma fell asleep against a tree because she complained about it this morning. Said her back hurt and she was stiff when I asked.

We rode hard all of yesterday, keeping up a steady trot most of the day. It was too bouncy to write on the horse either day. As the sun began to set, we reached a small creek that we had stumbled across on the way up. Ma and Rinny decided that we would stop there, since the sun was getting too low to ride much more.

Ma wouldn't let me go get any firewood or leave the camp after what had happened when we were at the castle. Though, admittedly, several good things came out of me getting caught. But, because of it, she would not let me out of her sight.

Ma was setting up camp, having forced me to sit down and do nothing, because there wasn't anything I could do until Rinny got back with the firewood, and, while I could still see, it was too dark to write without fire. I watched Rosto as he dug through Ma's pack, pulling out something here and there, and placing it on the ground. I vaguely wondered whether or not she had given him permission to do that. She never has liked it when other people touch her things without asking. He turned around after packing up the things that he had pulled out that he didn't need.

"Beka, do you have a dagger that you wouldn't mind letting me borrow?" he asked. Ma shifted to her feet from where she had been kneeling by her bedroll. She reached down and pulled a dagger out of her boot and handed it to him. He thanked her and disappeared in the direction of the creek. That was just as Rinny got back with the wood. I got up and helped her build the fire.

While she went back and got another load of wood, I started pulling out some of the dried herbs from the pack that had the miscellaneous things that she and Ma had bought in town. They had also bought deer meat, since they knew that we wouldn't be stopping very much to hunt, and some vegetables. I pulled out the pot that was buried in that pack and full of other things so that it would all fit.

I filled the pot with water from one of the full skins. I could refill it later anyway. Ma joined me and started cutting up vegetables as I began to work on the deer meat with one of the knives from the pack.

Rosto returned while we were doing that. By then, the sun had was just about to slip under the horizon. For the first time since I had met him, he was actually clean and shaved. His hair was clean, as well. I noticed then that it wasn't actually white under the grime, as it had seemed in the bad lighting. There was a shine of gold to it in the firelight, though there were grey threads at the sides. He had cut it, as well. Now, pulled back in a wet horsetail, it fell a few inches below the nape of his neck, where it was tied loosely. He certainly looked better than he had in the cell. He was still far too thin, and his skin had an unhealthy tinge to it, but it was an improvement.

He put most of the things he carried back in her pack and stood – his movements were a little stiff still, though whether it was from wherever he ended up sleeping the night before or what he's been through, I don't know. Rosto motioned with the dagger toward Ma, as if he was asking her if she wanted it back. She looked at him sternly, placing a hand on her hip, and quirked her eyebrow, as though she was asking him 'Are you sure you wanna do that?'

Rosto smirked and put the dagger in his boot, giving her a nod of thanks. His eyes glittered comments that I'm sure he would love to have said, but he remained silent. Instead, he moved over to where his own pack was. He pulled out his journal, a quill, and an inkwell.

His eyes rested on Ma as he opened the book with only the barest glance to find a blank page. Ma, who was still dressed in the (rather tight, now that I think about it) brown and white uniform of the castle guard, did not seem to notice his gaze. When she finally did notice, a faint blush touched her cheeks.

"Stop staring, Rosto," she said, right as Rinny reappeared with another load of firewood. Once she had put the wood down, she put her hands on her hips and glancing between Ma and Rosto, a slight frown on her face. Rosto smirked and started writing in his journal.

"Is there something going on between you two?" Rinny asked. Rosto looked up from his journal and Ma from the vegetables she had gone back to cutting. She and Rosto exchanged glances, then she sighed and nodded.

"Yes," she said softly, seeming to have decided on the truth instead of coming up with some decent explanation. Besides, how was she going to account for the resemblance between me and Rosto without telling the truth? "Rosto is my husband."

"Oh." Rinny looked at Ma for a moment, shocked, before glancing at me and Rosto. She turned and disappeared back into the woods for another load.

"I think you shocked her there, love," Rosto said, chuckling when she shot him one of her looks. She was not amused by that comment, it seemed. He fell silent as he went back to writing in his journal and Ma and I worked on our dinner. Rinny returned with a final load of wood and sat down on her bedroll.

We ate in silence, me writing in my journal between bites. I had quite a bit to catch up on at that point. It got kind of annoying, though, because every time I looked up, Ma and Rosto would be sending each other different looks over the fire. It wasn't until Rosto suddenly spoke up that anyone said anything.

"Why didn't you tell him, Beka?" he asked. His voice sounded curious, not the least bit hurt or anything. Ma stopped with her spoon halfway to her mouth, confusion written on her face.

"What?" She frowned slightly as she watched him in the flickering light.

"Why didn't you tell Jarred about me, Beka?" he repeated. She looked at him for a moment before he continued. "You never told him about me at all, not even my name. Why?"

"I was protecting him." Her voice was sure and insistent.

"From what? Knowing who his father was, so that he could at least remember me, even though I wasn't there?"

"Because I didn't want him to end up like you!" she replied, the level of her voice rising just a little at the end. She had put her bowl down and was staring straight at him over the fire, her blue-grey eyes hard.

"Like me?" Rosto asked, frowning. "Oh, of course. You're a Dog and you didn't want your son to end up being a Rat, even though your husband was the King of the Rats…" He narrowed his eyes, almost glaring at her.

"Of course I didn't want him to end up like you! I've thought you were dead all these years! Jarred was all I had left. He's my _son._ "

"He's _our_ son, Beka. He's not just yours. He's mine, too, or did you forget what happened between us? Was that all nothing to you?" Rosto demanded, getting to his feet without seeming to realize it. Ma stood, too, hurt clearing visible in her eyes.

"Of course it wasn't 'nothing' to me, Rosto! You know better than that. If it was all nothing, I never would have married you, and I never would have let you hurt me as much as you did! You ripped my heart out when you vanished," she said. Just as Rosto's voice had grown louder, so had hers.

"Then the least you could have done was remember me! If I meant that much to you, then you would remember that you are the only mot I ever really loved. The only one I cared enough about – trusted enough – to tell my story to. I would have given anything up for you; my throne, my glory, even my life. But it seems you care nothing for all of that. It may not have been nothing, but you never really cared, did you?"

"Of course I cared, you unprincipled pickpocket!" Ma yelled at him. Fury was building behind the hurt that he was inflicting. I could see pain in Rosto's eyes, too, behind the anger that was flaring up. "I was willing to put myself, my job, and what my friends and family thought of me on the line for you! I never would have done that if I didn't care! I cared more about you than being a Dog. Would you have preferred that I spend almost twenty years weeping over you and telling a tragic tale to anyone who would listen? You have no idea what you put me through, Rosto the Piper, and you have no right to yell at me for any reason. _I am not afraid of you!_ "

With absolute fury in his eyes, Rosto glared at her, his face set. "That is not what this is about," he said in an icy voice. Then, he whirled and walked off, seething. Ma sat down again, hugging her legs to her and softly crying for several long moments.

Rinny and I exchanged glances, both of us shocked at the display that we had just seen. I couldn't decide whether I was more shocked or horrified by the situation. Rinny and I silently cleaned up. I put my journal away before slipping into my bedroll. I lay awake for a while, unable to get to sleep.

It was a long time before Rosto came back. He silently walked back over to Ma, who had barely moved since their explosive argument. He knelt by her and slipped his arm around her waist. She fight the gesture, trying to make him let go of her, as if she was telling him to go away. Rosto was entirely undeterred by this and succeeded in pulling her into his arms in a tight embrace. Her face fought it, showing her displeasure, like she was going to argue with him to let her go, but then she relaxed in his arms in a way I hadn't seen Ma do. Ever. She let him hold her, like she was fragile and made of glass, like she really needed him there to hold her up. Rosto looked resolute, like he didn't ever want to let her go.

"Haven't you done enough?" she asked softly, sniffing as she looked up at him, her tearstained face full of pain.

"I'm sorry, Beka. That was completely uncalled for. I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm sorry for what I did to you. I never meant to, and it killed me the most to know that I hadn't been able to even say goodbye to you. All I wanted was to get back to you, the most amazing mot I have ever met, who I don't deserve – who I never have deserved. I love you, Beka, and I can't even begin to apologize…" he said softly. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. After he pulled away, she turned and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him as he held her once more.

I started to drift off to sleep just then, so I missed the ending to the conversation. Admittedly, it was very sweet…

I woke to Ma shaking me this morning. Apparently, even though she and Rosto had stayed up late last night and talked things over after I had fallen asleep. When I started to sit up, I found that Pounce had curled up on top of me and was sleeping there.

When I started thinking about it, I realized I hadn't seen the cat since the day Ma had that nightmare. It was as if he had just disappeared, and had suddenly reappeared. Maybe he had. Or, as the idea occurred to me, maybe he had been sleeping in one of the saddlebags before we left. I'll never know, and I don't really think I want to. He is a constellation after all.

Ma picked Pounce up and walked back over to where Rosto was sitting, an apple in his hand. He said something to her as she sat down, taking another bite of the apple as she cradled Pounce to her chest. With his other hand, he reached out and scratched the constellation cat between the ears, a slight smile playing over his face.

"Back again," he murmured, his eyes warm as he looked at her face. He had eyes only for her.

"Cat, Rat, and Dog," Ma murmured into Pounce's fur in response, but I heard it anyway.

I got up and got ready to go, watching Ma and Rosto intently out of the corner of my eye. They seemed much more at ease than they had last night. I'm assuming that they got it all out while I was asleep, but I'm not sure. They've been acting like they're on better terms, for all that Rosto has been missing for years.

Rinny had already mostly packed up, it looked like, and had probably headed down to the creek, from the look of it, being as she wasn't present in the camp. So, I packed my things up and grabbed one of the other apples from the food pack. I yawned several times while I ate by breakfast. I was still (and still am) sore from the ride. I had gotten used to a steady, fast walk on the way up here, but a trot is an entirely different gait – much more bouncy and faster, to say the least. I wasn't about to admit it aloud to anyone else that I was sore, though. They would never let me hear the end of it.

Once Rinny reappeared from the creek and we were all packed up, we got the horses and the pony ready to go and headed out. Pounce rode in one of the saddlebags of the horse that Ma and Rosto rode while we all endured the silence and tried to keep up the fast pace.

Ma and Rosto talked quietly a little ahead of me and Rinny, but they were on the same horse, and closer, so they actually could talk. I was very bored, though, because I couldn't even pull out my journal to write in because trotting would make it impossible to do so without ruining this book.

Other than that, the day has been rather uneventful, other than my parents getting a little carried away with a kiss and falling over, making couple of loud noises when they hit the ground. Rosto was supposed to be quiet the charmer in his day, or at least that's what I've heard. And I suppose he had to be to charm Ma into marrying him and all even though he was about as crooked as they get.

Still, I think he's a bit rusty, acos the old Rosto, the one that the people of the Lower City knew, never would have fallen out of the saddle while kissing a mot. He also never would have heard the end of it if he had. But, it is good to hear them both laugh. I can hear myself in that laugh, but I can also hear them. I guess I really am their son.

It still seems strange to me to actually use that word in a plural, to say parents instead of parent, when it comes to myself. It's always been just me and Ma.

Anyway. Rinny's response to that was to demand "Do you really _have_ to do that?" which elicited a bout of laughter from the rest of us.

Now that I've gotten everything that has happened so far written down, it's back to just traveling, and probably boredom. I may not even write anything down on the way back if it's anything like the way up (only at a faster pace). Although, I think we're going to get there a bit faster than we got to the castle. If we keep up this pace, we could be back in Corus sooner than I would have thought. I hope so. I miss my puppy, and my home…and I would give anything to sleep in my own bed…


	26. The Road Home

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard of Tortall  
Scanra to Tortall

June 8, 267

Oh, forget not writing. Now that I've had this journal for two months, even writing by firelight isn't that hard after those nights when my candle would be guttering.

Anyway, after that explosive argument, it took Ma a few days to remember that Rosto had slit the throat of the cove that we were chasing. We were eating dinner last night when, and she was scribbling things down in her journal (she hadn't had a chance between being exhausted from the rides, and various other reasons, like spending the evening on Rosto's lap kissing him) when she remembered.

But, apparently, as she was about to take another bite of the steak she and Rosto had prepared with the buck she brought down late this afternoon when we ran across a herd of deer, she remembered. Turns out that between the two of them, despite that both of them have either lived on Corcoran's cooking or, in Rosto's case, spent most of the last twenty years eating that slop, they're pretty good cooks.

She stopped writing and put her fork down, looking at Rosto as he took a too-big bite of meat. He caught the highly displeased look that had appeared on her face and frowned as he chewed.

"Wha?" he mumbled. He seemed to be regretting taking that large of a bite. "I can' 'elp it if I haven't eaten this good in eighteen years!" he protested, thinking that Ma was annoyed about his manners instead of the aforesaid incident.

"Wrong answer," Ma said, glaring at him now. He tilted his head slightly and looked at her, obviously confused. At that, so was I at the time, so I don't blame him.

"All right then. Will you tell me what you're upset about?" he asked. Ma stared at him for a few moments, as if she was debating whether to make him figure it out on his own or not.

"Fine. Explain yourself. Why did you kill that cove – the one that we followed all the way here to catch and take back to Corus?" she asked. Rosto shrugged.

"I was in the Rogue long enough to know what a fatal wound is, Beka. He stabbed himself in the chest right where he would bleed to death faster than we could get out and make it to a healer. It was a mercy killing, love. He would have painfully bled to death, and all three of us would have gotten caught. I couldn't bear the thought of putting you, or Jarred, through what I've been through in the last eighteen years. I feel like I've been through the Realm of Chaos and back again during this time, Beka. It would destroy me to see anyone put you through any of that," he said. His eyes never left her as he spoke. "I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me. Not after all I put you through, not even before that."

He finally looked away then, turning back to his food, which he cut into smaller pieces after that. He didn't look up at any of us, instead looking at the fire when he did look up from his plate.

"Thank you, Rosto," Ma said quietly. She nudged herself a bit closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder and giving him a one-armed hug for a moment. He smiled softly at her and looped his arm around her waist, pulling her in for another kiss. They've been doing that a lot. It's starting to get annoying. Now I know what Cel means when he says his parents embarrass him frequently.

"Will you two _stop that?_ " Rinny demanded, glaring at them. They both looked at her, confused. I'm starting to think that she and Goodwin are similar in more respects than I noticed. From what Ma told me, Goodwin gets real irritable when she's away from her husband for more than a couple of days.

Actually, I don't think I've seen this side of Rinny before last night – she was in a very bad mood. I don't know whether it's because Ma is snuggling an ex-rusher, or if it's because Ma gets to snuggle someone and Rinny don't. Mind you, for whatever reason, Rinny's not one to cross when she's mad. It's like Ma when she's mad about something, only less scary. Mind you, I've only seen Ma really mad once or twice in my lifetime, and I do not want to see that again. I won't admit it elsewhere, but those eyes of hers are creepy when she's that angry…

But, that's about the only interesting thing that's happened so far…I'll just have to wait and see what else happens…

* * *

June 13, 267

Sadly, the trip back has been uneventful other than what I've written down so far. I've been bored the whole time, but too tired to write in my journal after dinner, or even while eating dinner. I sort of nodded off during dinner last night. Ma and Rinny, who has been extremely irritable for some reason, were both sympathetic, but Rosto wasn't. He just chuckled and pulled out his pipe. Maybe it was because I teased him about falling asleep during dinner last week. I don't rightly know.

Well, I will admit that he is amazing with Callingbird. Rosto has taken to playing for us in the evening, sometimes pulling a new song out of the book he wrote them in while imprisoned. Some of them, in particular, are haunting melodies that show how lonely he was when he was trapped in that cell. There are a few others that have a somewhat happier tune, but he said last night that there aren't many of those in that book. And the haunting ones, well, they make you feel weird, like you've been touched by a ghost or sommat. Regular folk, folk who've never been imprisoned, won't understand them. Others, they might cry, but not be sure why they're crying, just that they're sad.

I've also been wondering about Rosto. See, although I knew in that cell that he was my da, I don't think I really accepted it until I saw him with Ma. I've also realized that I wasn't just some cosmic accident between the Rogue and the Terrier, but rather, a child truly born of love between the two of them.

Ma still treats me the same, but I can see that Rosto is trying to figure out how to treat me: we was allies when we were stuck in that cell, but now that we're out – now that we're a family, I can tell he wants to be my da, but without stopping being my friend as well. I think he wants to step into that new role, which he was never allowed to fill, thanks to his step-brother, but he doesn't want to mess up what relationship we already have. It's going to take some getting used to. A lot of getting used to.

Actually, I think he and Ma are planning sommat, now that I think about it. They've been sitting alone across the fire all evening, and have been talking in hushed tones that I can't hear (I hate it when people do that) since dinner. Rosto's had Callingbird out again, too, but hasn't played it. I can only begin to wonder what they're up to.

And suddenly, I think things have changed more than I ever thought they would. Ma has changed, or at least the way she acts has changed, since Rosto's reappearance. She's still Ma, but she almost looks and acts like a younger Ma, like the Ma who was 'the Terrier' and 'the Bloodhound' and whatnot. Like the Ma who could hunt thieves across the country, not just around the City. It's like Rosto's the reason why she's so strong, and I can't help but feel a little selfish for noticing that, but it's true, she has, and I think he is. True, Ma will take on the world for me, but I feel like it's Rosto who'd give her the strength to take on the gods. But it also seems to be true in reverse; Ma's returned some of the life to Rosto's face. And since they were reunited, he hasn't stopped smiling.

It might only be because I've never seen the two of them together before this trip, though, because Rosto disappeared long before I was born and all.

But, since they're _obviously_ not going to tell me, I'm just going to have to wait. I hate waiting. Almost as much as when people talk low enough that I can't hear them. Mind you, that's half the reason I became a Dog when it all came down to it. So I could go sniffing around and listening in on conversations (including conversations that I'm not supposed to hear – those are the fun ones to listen to). It's just, well, a Rogue and the Terrier, especially a married Rogue and Terrier, probably know how to keep secrets really well. Especially from the likes of a mutt like me.

Other than that, there is some good news – we'll be home in the next few days, it seems, with the pace we've kept up. I can't wait to get home! I hope Corcoran is making goose. And fritters. And roast. And tarts. And now I'm hungry.


	27. Rosto's Tale

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard of Tortall  
The Lower City, Corus

June 16, 267

Very late, possibly the 17th

Finally, we're back! We made much better time on the way back than we did on the way up, probably because we didn't have to keep our pace slow to make sure we could shadow someone. I'm extremely sore from the ride, but I'm very glad to be home.

We rode into town late this evening (okay, it was close to when Evening Watch would be getting off, and Night Watch would start). Ma said we could report to Goodwin and the Provost in the morning or sometime after, because it was so late. I can't tell you how happy I was to see the Palace Ridge and the walls that surround the Lower City, and the bridges across the River Olorun. And even though there was less people and the stalls were closed, it was good to see the Nightmarket.

We rode on the back streets to keep Rosto's return quiet until the opportune moment. It didn't really matter all that much, I don't think, because Ma had given him her cloak and had him pull the cowl up when we got close to the City. But, it was just to make sure, so that his identity was not given away too soon.

It looked like the Court of the Rogue had been dismissed by the time we neared the Dancing Dove (Aniki does that every once in a while, for some reason, or no reason at all except she wants to). A few rushers were straggling behind the others as we neared. We quietly slipped into the stable next to the inn after that. It doesn't get used much, but it's stocked and ready to use anyway, with a horse or two there from time to time. But, for the most part, those times are few and far between. And Ma never let me near the horses when they were there, for that matter.

We untacked the horses and the pony (which I still would not go anywhere near) before Rinny declared that she was going to head home. She was tired and said sommat about having a headache and seeing us in the morning. I wondered if someone should go with her, so she wasn't traveling the City alone at night, but I realized that her headache was probably brought on by homesickness. Woe to the rusher or Rat who got between her and her home. So, Ma and I undid the fastenings that kept the saddlebags tied to the saddles and took those and our packs inside while Rosto was close at our heels.

Corcoran and one of the kitchen gixies were the only ones who were downstairs when we entered, but the latter was in the kitchen, noisily washing dishes. She dropped one right before we came in. Corcoran looked to be finishing up with the last of the cleaning up that he could do. He glanced up at us when the bell above the door chimed. He put the glass and rag he had been holding down, pleasure openly on his face when he saw me and Ma.

He frowned when he caught sight of Rosto. Rosto still had his hood up – and once again, I had a feeling that he had something dramatic planned. Corcoran greeted Ma warmly, giving her a hug and asking her if she had eaten any decent food while she was away and commenting on how skinny she was. Rosto and I both chuckled at that comment. He proceeded to greet me, ruffling my hair and saying that he was glad that I was back, though he was eyeing Rosto warily the whole time.

"Where is everyone?" Ma asked. Corcoran grinned at her.

"Mistress Aniki is upstairs with the Westovers and master Phelan," he told her. A wicked grin appeared on her face and she glanced at Rosto. She walked over to the stairs and stopped just as she reached the bottom.

"Oy! Any of you lot up there goin' to welcome us home?" she called. She backed away from the stairs then, and moved back over to where me and Rosto were standing. There was a loud bang, which sounded very much like the sound of a door hitting a wall (Rosto winced slightly when he heard it).

That was followed by the sound of thundering footsteps (more like a stampede) on the stairs. Aniki appeared first, with Ersken and Kora right on her heels and Phelan (looking annoyed that he'd gotten stuck at the back and was the last one down the stairs) just behind them. Ma and I were 'attacked' with hugs immediately.

It wasn't until after they had greeted us (very enthusiastically) that they noticed the cloaked figure that stood between us and the door. Aniki and Phelan, the closest to Rosto, tensed. Aniki's hand fell to the dagger at her belt as she watched him suspiciously. Very slowly, Rosto reached up and pulled back the cowl of the cloak. A collective gasp filled the room as everyone caught sight of his face.

In the time since we had started our journey home, he had gained weight, having actually been able to eat something other than that slop and burned leftovers when they had them. It was enough to make him look a bit healthier, too. It also made him look younger than he had when he was bone thin, though I mostly attribute that to him being reunited with Ma. The grey in his hair was still noticeable, but personally, I'm surprised it didn't go completely white after all he's been through. But, instead, he had a little grey on the sides, but not much more. Lucky cove, if you ask me. Anyway, despite those changes, he did somehow still looked a little bit unhealthy, but I couldn't say why exactly.

Kora burst into tears while the others just stared at him like he wasn't really or sommat. After several moments of tense silence, Aniki took a step forward, still looking like she didn't believe her own eyes.

"Rosto?" she asked. Her disbelief colored her voice, too.

He nodded, remaining silent as his ebony eyes met her blue ones. Aniki took another step toward him. Then, before anyone could say anything, she threw her arms around his neck and broke down crying. She had missed him, it was obvious, and I've heard tales that they were always real close, especially what with them being King and Queen of the Rogue together for a time. She blubbered something about being mad at him for leaving her so much work, but her punch to his shoulder was weak and half-hearted. If I ever told folk I'd seen the great Queen Aniki cry, I'd be called a liar.

"Aniki, please stop," Rosto soothed. "Phelan, get her off." Phelan stepped forward and hauled Aniki off of Rosto.

"Where have you been for the last eighteen years?" she said, catching her breath finally. "Do you realize how bad it was after you left? For all of us?" He winced, getting to his feet.

"You have no idea," he said rather sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest and shifting his weight a little. "I'll tell you later, if you don't mind," he added. "But I will say this now – it's a long tale, and a painful one. I'm lucky to be alive right now to tell it." After a moment, he moved over to Ma and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. By then, Aniki had relaxed enough that Phelan had been comfortable letting her go.

"No. You're going to tell us now, Rosto," she said caustically. It was plain to see that she was slightly furious with him. But, knowing Aniki, I'm not all that surprised. I'm just surprised that she didn't try to punch him. There was a look in her eyes that said he had better not argue. It was clear that he had seen it, too.

"Fine. I'm not going to argue with you this time, Aniki," he said. "This time, mind you," he added as an afterthought. She still did not look pleased.

Kora, of a like mind, had tears streaming down her face. When Aniki moved out of the way, Kora threw her arms around Rosto in a hug that almost knocked him over. "I missed you, Rosto," she said as she let go of him. He smiled at her when she said that.

"I missed you, too, Kora," he replied. As Kora stepped back and Ersken moved forward a little, the door to the Dove opened. Everyone jumped and Rosto backed up into the shadows as quickly and as best he could. All of us relaxed when we saw Alania enter. Celtrin was right behind her with a firm grip on a leash.

Piper was tugging determinedly at the leash, trying to get to me. I saw Rosto wince as her claws scratched the floor. Mind you, if he's this bad about a door being slammed and a few scratches, he'll probably faint when he sees the front room and the amount of scuff marks on the floor. Corcoran's girls try to keep it nice looking, but with so many people in and out of here, it's hard to keep it from getting scuffed and scratched. After a moment, Cel gave up and let go of the leash. Piper bounded over to me, letting our a frenzy of her whistle-yips. She jumped up on me before I had a chance to kneel down, and almost knocked me over that way. She started licking me frantically, her little (or not so little anymore) tail wagging so hard it shook her whole body. Once I got my ecstatic puppy calmed down a little, I gave her a hug and started petting her until she flopped over and demanded that I rub her belly instead.

"Sorry, Mama," Alania started. "We couldn't get Piper to calm down until we brought her here – she was going to wake the others if we didn't," she said. Kora just nodded. Alania and Cel turned to go, but then Cel stopped.

"Who's that?" he asked, motioning at Rosto, who he'd noticed a moment before.

"I'm an old friend of your parents," Rosto said from the shadows – his face was still mostly obscured by darkness. Cel watched him suspiciously for a moment, then he glanced at Kora and Ersken, who both nodded at him. He disappeared out the door without another word. Alania followed a moment later, flashing a smile at me before she left. She's got a brilliant smile, and even in the dark, I felt like it lit up the room, and a warm feeling washed over me, starting from my gut and woking its way to my fingertips. I smiled back as she disappeared out the door.

I felt Ersken's gaze on me just a few seconds later. I looked up at him, meeting his eyes anxiously. After a very tense moment, he inclined his head to me. He approved! A wave of relief washed over me. If Ersken approved, then it was acceptable to him that Alania and I seem to have feelings for each other, whatever they are.

I glanced at Ma to see the knowing smile on her face. That shocked me a little, because I had not told her anything about the fact that I like Alania. Rosto chuckled as he moved forward and back into the light. Did _everyone_ know about this? I was thoroughly annoyed about it already at that point. I was about to glance at Aniki when she sighed.

"Come on. Let's go upstairs so you can tell us what happened, Rosto," she said moodily. Rosto nodded, but did not speak up. Instead, he wrapped his arm around Ma again and allowed Aniki, Phelan, Kora, and Ersken to precede us upstairs.

I picked up Piper, who was quite a bit larger and heavier than she had been when we left. What on earth had she been eating at the Westover house? Sheep? It ain't normal for a pip to gain that much weight in so short a time. But, that didn't matter so much, as I wanted to hold her warm fuzzy body for a while, just like Ma holds Pounce every once in a while. Just acos is feels good and warm and safe. Besides, she'll eventually be too big for me to carry, and I figure if she keeps growing at this rate, then that day will come sooner rather than later.

Aniki led us to her room, where she and Phelan sat on her bed. Ersken joined them, pulling Kora into his lap. Ma claimed the chair at Aniki's desk, and Rosto seated himself on the desktop itself after clearing a few papers off. I sat on the floor with my giant puppy. Rosto glanced at Ma for reassurance before he took a deep breath.

"I don't remember everything that has happened to me in the last eighteen years. Some memories were so bad, I blocked 'em out – others were so awful I couldn't forget them, and others still ran together until they were just one long painful blur. There are points where I'm not even sure I was totally sane or even awake, for the horrors were the type you only hear about in nightmares. But, I'll start with what I remember from the day I disappeared," he said.

"I was the last person at the boarding house we were staying at across the street – I had finished putting together my surprise for Beka when I headed out. I remember closing the door behind me and thinking to myself that the street was awfully quiet. Of course, there was still the usual roar from the Dancing Dove, so I shrugged it off and started across the street. I never heard them.

"I was grabbed from behind by two coves. I fought them, trying to get free from their grasps. I actually had one down when another one forced a cloth over my mouth and nose so that I was forced to breathe whatever it was on the cloth. It was covered in an herbal mixture that caused me to pass out. When I woke, I was tied, gagged, and in the dark. They had me entirely trapped, with the ropes they had used to bind my ankles and my wrists tied to something so that I couldn't get to anything they might have missed.

"I was gagged unless they were giving me food or water, and they only gave me enough to keep me alive, at that. By then, I had realized that there was no way for me to get away at that point. I began to mentally formulate several escape plans, but they were all foiled when the destination was reached. They let me walk on my own, but they blindfolded me; I was thrown into a cell on my own. It took me only a moment to find that I had been relieved of all of my daggers, and everything I had but for the clothes I wore, my necklace, and the few hair-ties I had left in my pocket when I left for Court."

"Only you would keep hair-ties in your pocket, Rosto," chuckled Phelan. But Rosto didn't laugh with him.

"I'm not that man, Phelan. That man would've hated these grey hairs," Rosto said quietly, running his fingers over the strands. "I know them as a marker of survival. I never thought I'd get to be this old, to be honest. I never thought I would see any of you again. But it wasn't just that. It's just hair-ties was all they'd left me keep. I imagine if I'd had anything else in my pockets, they'd have taken it."

He paused here, closing his eyes for just a moment. There was silence as we waited patiently for him to continue the story, which was obviously the condensed version, since it would have taken him forever to recount exactly what had happened during that time.

"Sometime, day or weeks later – I don't know, really – the silence was broken. The routine of the guards delivering a tray of food in the morning and evening stopped. Then, a guard entered and I was blindfolded again. I was led blind, and then forced into some sort of restraint that held my ankles and wrists in place." He stopped again, swallowing heavily. He wouldn't meet anyone's eyes. He licked his lips and took a deep breath to calm himself before he went on.

"They tortured me, with hot metal and fire. At first, I screamed. I said I'd tell them anything they wanted, just make the fire stop. One man growled in my ear that they wanted nothing from me, just my screams. They burned me – hurt me. They even branded me," he said. His voice was hollow, because no matter how vivid the description, it would never match up to the real thing. Rosto was detached because he knew that it was either the detachment or the actual physical agony. There were tears in his eyes, just as there were in everyone's eyes, mine included. Slowly, Rosto moved to unbutton his shirt; he slid the fabric from his shoulder, revealing the brand scar there.

It seemed like I was the only one who had seen it – everyone else, Ma included, gasped and then made sympathetic sounds. Rosto covered the scar back up and went on. Ma, though, was silent, and her face went stony hard. If Cal hadn't already died, she'd have probably marched all our butts back to Scanra and killed him herself.

"For the first year or so, I was tortured repeatedly – allowed to recover my strength, though never my full strength, then tortured again." The shadows in his eyes were strong, the haunted look on his face was almost frightening. Aniki cringed, and Kora buried her face in Ersken's chest while Ersken himself looked away. Even Phelan averted his eyes. Finally, Rosto went on again.

"In the second year I was there, I got my hands on a piece of metal that I used to pick the lock. I almost got away, except I ran into a group of guards. I filched a few journals and the like when I knew that I was going to be able to escape on that attempt. I got caught, and beaten for my attempt. It was several years before I was able to try again, because they took my makeshift lock-pick. I think the next time I managed it was in 255, but I'm not totally sure. I'd have to check one of my journals. I was caught again, and received another beating. I was also tortured several times that year.

"The next year, I was allowed out to clean up – that was when I realized how long I had already been there. I felt old and worn, tired. I picked the lock once more that year: that was the last time I got out. I was only able to get myself more journals and writing materials after I was headed off by a guard who had spotted me. They changed the lock while I was recovering after they caught me. They made it so that I couldn't pick the lock again. I couldn't get out." He paused there for the briefest moment, shaking his head at the memory.

"In time, the fact that I was alone began to torture me as much as the pain they had inflicted on my body. I gave up hope. I thought I would never get out. I wanted to die there, to end the torment. I probably would have if Jarred hadn't gotten thrown into the cell for trespassing on the fief's grounds. Even before I knew he was my son, I felt just a little bit of hope, because things were changing. For a few days, we just talked – both of us figured out our relationship during those few days.

"Then they decided they were going to interrogate Jarred. They had done that to me amidst the torture years before. I knew what they would do to him, and I wasn't about to let that happen. When the guards entered, I stood between him and them. One of the guards said something along the lines of 'Why do you care whether or not he dies, murderer?' I punched him, knowing full well the consequences of my actions. They left Jarred and took me. I was whipped and not for the first time. I had killed a guard years before and received a similar punishment. Once they whipped me, they did other things...a beating…torture again…" Rosto paused, closing his eyes. A shiver ran through his body as he remembered what they had done to him for my sake.

"After that, once I was recovered enough – with a healer's help – they took both of us to the fief's lord. The lord of the fief was my step-brother," he said. Everyone but me and Ma gasped. Realization appeared in Ma's expression. Apparently she, at least, knew about Calyn.

"Not Rikki?" Kora asked softly, her horror plain on her face. Rosto shook his head.

"No, Rikki's older brother, Calyn. It was over some petty jealousy – Cal was insane. I think that the jealousy – the idea that my step-father loved me more then his oldest son, because Rikki and I were the perfect brothers, drove him mad. I loved Rikki, like I loved my step-father. Cal loved no one. So, it drove him mad to see Rikki nad myself so close when he had no one. I think it bothered him that Rikki and I almost looked like brothers – Rikki was blue-eyes, but we were both as blond as the summer and as white as the snow. But Calyn, he wasn't darker or tanner than us. He just wasn't, I dunno, he just wasn't poetically good looking. Just rather plain, I guess.

"And he wasn't the cove I remembered either. I challenged him, with one of his guards' swords. He landed a blow on my arm, I pinned him through the shoulder. Then, we ran, happened to cross paths with Beka, and eventually got out. The rest is not really as important. I'm just glad to be home…" Rosto said. He let out a sigh, whether he meant to or not. He reached out and touched Ma's hand. She responded by threading her fingers through his fingers and smiling. Then Aniki spoke up.

"I know it's not the time, what with you lot being so tired and just come back, but what are we going to do about the Rogue, Rosto?" she asked. "It's not like I can just hide you for a few weeks after hearing all that. I won't have you locked up, but I cannot validly keep the throne while you still live unless you renounce it…" Rosto nodded, hearing that. His eyes looked foggy for a second and that look was quickly replaced by one of sharp shrewdness. The Rogue was coming back, the sharp mind of a rusher was beginning to calculate and plan it. There was a look of mischief in his expression.

"I can't take my throne back now anyway, Aniki. I'm not strong enough. I wouldn't last more than one night before I ended up getting myself doused. I need time to recover, to get back into fighting fit. I want you to hold the throne until then. After that, we can shift back to the leadership we shared before my disappearance. Or perhaps, I'll fight you to get it back" he said with a chuckle. "If you do not object, that is," he added. He raised his eyebrows in question. Aniki nodded but remained silent, digesting what he had said.

"I will, however, return to the Court of the Rogue. Or I should, if only to be appraised of the goings on, at the next time the Rogue is in session, if it's not too much trouble…and I think that it would probably be wise to acknowledge my relationship to Beka and Jarred." Aniki opened her mouth to speak, but Rosto held up his hand. "If I don't, rumors will start, and both of their reputations will be ruined, and they could lose their jobs in the Dogs. Besides, there's no denying Jarred's resemblance to me," he said, chuckling at the last thought.

"You have no idea how hard it was for us to see him every day, growing up and knowing what had happened, but having to keep our mouths shut. Knowing that you weren't coming back. When he started to play your pipe, I don't know how long I could have handled it. He's got so much of you in him, Rosto," Aniki said. Kora nudged her, pointing at me. "Sorry, Jarred. I know you're sitting there, but it's true. You look to much alike, and you even have a few of his strange habits." Rosto snorted, shooting her a look of playful indignation. "I'm surprised it took some people this long to figure it out." And I know she was thinking about Brian right there, because it seems that it took him almost my whole life to figure it out, even though he's seen me grow up, as much of the Court of the Rogue has.

I rolled my eyes at him, causing Ma and Kora to laugh. I scratched Piper's head while I waited for the silence to end. Ma yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. Rosto noticed, and took charge.

"I think that it would be best if everyone got to bed now, being as it's late, and we've been riding all day," he said, wrapping his arm around Ma again. She leaned her head against him and sighed. There was no denying that she (and Rosto, for that matter) looked as tired as I felt. Aniki opened her mouth to say something again, gesturing toward me. And again, Rosto cut her off.

"Yes, Aniki, I know that Jarred is living in my old room. Beka told me all about it on the way here. It's no matter. Beka and I will share her room, which she suggested," he told her. He stifled a yawn, and suddenly, I found that I was yawning as well. Aniki sighed, nodding.

"Then I'll see you in the morning…we're going to have things to talk about, so be ready," she told him. Rosto smirked at her, and nodded.

"Of course."

With a sigh, I picked up Piper as Rosto and Ma disappeared to her room. I swear, that dog is at least twice as heavy as she was when I left! But, anyway, we went downstairs, and I've taken who knows how long to write up the account. I don't think I've been this tired before in my life. At least it's a good tired.

Tomorrow…today, rather, being as it's very early in the morning at this point, is going to be a very interesting day. I still have this feeling that Ma and Rosto are planning something, but it can wait. Now, I had best get to be and get some sleep (in my own bed, finally!) before that activity begins.


	28. In My Arms

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
The Lower City, Corus

June 17, 267

Today has been a very interesting day, to say the very least. And, for once, Ma let me sleep in on one of my days off. That don't happen very often, because she's usually up at dawn with a ton of things to do.

When I finally did get up, Ma was already downstairs (as usual) talking with Aniki and Corcoran while Phelan was eating and had his mouth full.

"Where's Rosto?" I asked. Ma glanced at me before taking a bite of potatoes from her plate.

"Upstairs," she said after swallowing. "I told him to go back to sleep when I got up," she added when I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I would point out, love, that it's awfully hard to get back to go back to sleep once you've left," Rosto's voice called from the steps. Ma chuckled, taking another bite as Rosto appeared on the stairs. He walked over and kissed her on the cheek before taking a seat and looking over what was available for breakfast. "Corcoran, is there any chance you have some Peach Dragons stashed somewhere?" he asked. Ma chuckled again, shaking her head at Rosto.

Grinning, Corcoran pulled a ripe peach from under the counter and showed it to Rosto, who smirked at Ma. While Corcoran made the rolls, Rosto talked with Aniki and Phelan and caught up a little on all that he had missed. I could almost see the slight shadows in his expression, the sorrow that he had missed so much. He didn't show it more than that, though.

He thanked Corcoran when the Peach Dragons had been completed, and took the plate that had been offered. You could practically hear his stomach growling halfway across the room. After the first bite, Rosto looked like it was torture not to eat all of the rest at once. They're well enough, but, as I've said before, I don't really like them all that much compared to the apple rolls.

It was highly amusing when, after he had taken another bite and had turned his back partially to get some water, Ma stole a piece. He caught her motion out of the corner of his eye and whirled in his chair, giving her a look of mock outrage when she popped it into her mouth. She smirked a little. He pouted – I don't think I've ever seen a grown cove act like that before – until Ma leaned over and kissed him.

Aniki rolled her eyes, but Phelan apparently decided to follow suit and kissed her. Corcoran and I exchanged glances and I sighed in annoyance. Them doing that was really starting to annoy me. And I'd begun to wonder if they were like this before Rosto disappeared. Probably. But, that's not the point.

It was several moments before Corcoran cleared his throat (which I was about to do – he stole my thunder there…) and both couples broke apart. Rosto looked at us expectantly, clearly wanting to know why they had been interrupted. I turned to Corcoran.

"Were they always like this?" I asked him. He chuckled, a wicked grin appearing on his face.

"Well, when no one was around, they were just as bad, if not worse. If I remember correctly, your mother knocked your father off a stool by accident. And then there was the time when-" Ma cut him off right there.

"Jarred doesn't need to hear about that, Cookie," she said. There was a faint blush on her cheeks as she said that. I do believe that that is the first time I've seen Ma really embarrassed. Rosto chuckled, his arm encircling her waist as he took another bite of Peach Dragon. She scooted her chair a little closer, then leaned her head back against his shoulder, stealing another piece of the Yamani roll in front of Rosto. This time, he chuckled and rolled his eyes. In turn, he stole her fork and took a bite from her plate, smirking at her as he did it.

Then, she plucked the fork from his hand and started eating her own food again. This went on for several minutes before Ma stopped and looked at me. _About ruddy time too, acos I was starting to feel forgotten in all this. And for a long time, I was the man in this family, small as it was._

"Jarred, why don't you come upstairs to my room after Rosto's done talking to Aniki?" she asked. "I think we could use some help with something." I glanced at Rosto, who looked slightly confused, then back at Ma.

"Why not; all I have to do today is clean up my room a little bit," I said. Piper yipped, having finished the bowl of food that had been set out for her.

 _Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! They have fun idea planned – Cat-cat say so! Piper help, too?_ she yipped. She danced around, turning her body in circles with excitement. I looked back up at Rosto and Ma, the latter of whom was looking at my puppy with an incredulous look on his face.

"You never said she talked, too," he said. I frowned slightly.

"You understand her?" I asked. Rosto nodded.

"All you have to do is listen – I've been able to understand Pounce since I was helping your ma at Port Caynn. Before that, though, I had to put up with only hearing Beka's side of the conversation. In hindsight, it was rather amusing. Not so much at the time," he said, grinning at Ma when she met his gaze.

I opened my mouth to respond when I felt a paw land on my ankle. I looked down to see Piper looking up at me, her paw resting on my boot. The tip of her tail wagged a little. _Piper help?_ she asked, her bronze eyes pleading. I chuckled.

"Sure, Piper. We'll find a way for you to help," I said. She wagged her tail happily in response. My puppy is extremely adorable when she wants to be. I headed back upstairs after I was done, while Rosto talked to Aniki about Rogue matters and Ma went up to her own room to do something. I cleaned up for a while, dusting and so on. I cleaned my daggers while I was at it and polished my baton. I will admit that I miss having Callingbird, but Rosto deserves to have his flute back after so long; I'm not about to deprive him of that. A little while before lunch, he poked his head into my room (I had left the door open) and told me that I needed to come upstairs if I wanted to help.

By the time I got up there, he was looking through something, and Ma was sitting at her desk, waiting patiently. She held out Callingbird when I was close enough. That confused me quite a bit.

"Found it," Rosto said. He was holding the black and silver journal that I had run across in that crate when I was helping Ma. He handed the book to Ma, who glanced over it as he leaned over her shoulder. "I've got the modified lyrics somewhere, as well. I just have to find them, since it seems that all of my papers and such were packed up and all…" he trailed off, straightening and running a hand over his hair.

"I know where they are," she said. Ma got up and walked over to her bookshelf and pulled a small, book-shaped wooden box from it. She slid it open and started pulling papers out of it as she walked back to her desk. She sat down again, with Rosto once again leaning over her shoulder. "Here it is," she said finally, pulling one paper from the pile inside it. She held it up for Rosto to read while she herself skimmed it. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for them to finish.

"Perfect. Thank you, love," Rosto said, kissing her on the cheek. He looked up at me then. "Beka and I are planning a surprise for tonight and we'll need your help for it. I've mentioned it to Aniki, who approved it," he said. He reached out to pick up the metal flute that was on the desk – Nightingale, if I remember right. "All that's left is to arrange it and practice it. If I teach you the song, will you play it?" he asked. I nodded.

"Of course. I wouldn't pass that up – and you want me to play it on Callingbird?" I asked in turn, holding the wooden flute up. Rosto nodded this time.

"Correct. I'll teach you how to play it using Nightingale, but you have to listen to the difference in the sound of the flutes. Your mother says that you're good with sounding out a song on a flute, so we'll just have to make sure," he said. He picked up the journal, which he had put down momentarily, and flipped through the pages in the back. After a moment, he held it out to me. "Can you read this?" he asked. I looked at the page, glancing over the musical notation there, then shook my head.

"No, I can't," I admitted. Rosto glanced at Ma, who shrugged.

"He only just found your flute, Rosto. I didn't have time to teach him how to read the music to go with it. Nor did I want to, for all that he's inherited your gift for playing," she said, her pride-filled eyes flickering to me. "But he played a mighty good version of Toora Loora Loora after only hearing me sing it, didn't you, Jarred?" I chuckled.

"It was well enough. Made our fierce Rogue Queen well up a bit 'round the eyes. Not as good as it could have been, but it sounded like the tune you sang to me when I was little," I replied. Rosto sighed, shaking his head.

"Well, I'll give you a run-through of how to read music, and we can work on it more later. But if you've got the memory I do for music, and it sounds like you do, then it shouldn't be a problem tonight," he said.

He proceeded to show me how to read the score on paper, then played it once through before making me play it. The first thing he took issue with was my breathing. I got a whole lecture on how I was doing it wrong for playing a flute and how exactly I needed to fix it.

"You've got it wrong, Jarred. The flute-players stance has to always be straight-backed and tall." He stood up and put his feet together in a T-stance I'd seen an old violin-player do. He motioned for me to do the same. I did, but Rosto proceeded to poke me until I was standing just so. "Posture helps you breathe better. It also makes you look more regal-like, which you don't really need much help with, being as you're my son. Still, stand taller. There you go. Soften your eyes, hands loose, no grimacing and no tight muscles. It must look effortless, as though it were the easiest thing in the world. Easier than breathing. And _that_ will ease your breathing." He didn't demonstrate, just sort of shook me a bit. "There you go, now, stand like that."

Rosto is amazingly picky for someone who spent eighteen years in a cell with little choice about anything. Sometimes I don't understand how Ma has managed to live with that. If he's that picky about how I breathe while playing a pipe, I can only wonder how picky he is about other things.

Anyway, I had managed to play it once through, with a number of mistakes, mind you, before we decided to break for lunch. As soon as we were all done, Ma and Rosto dragged me back upstairs to get back to practicing. It took a while before I could play it to Rosto's satisfaction, but it was worth it. After that, Ma joined in, singing as I got used to having a voice accompanying my playing, which I hadn't had before.

It really didn't take all that long for me and Ma to get out parts down; then Rosto joined in, which told me what was being planned. It was already late in the afternoon by the time we had managed to go through it near perfect a couple of times.

After that, Ma asked me to help her and Rosto move most of her things back up from Kora's room. I hadn't really realized how empty it was in her room without the crates and clutter that she hasn't cleaned up in years due to lack of time. On one trip downstairs to get hot-water for washing the floors, I heard one of Corcoran's kitchen girls tell the other that she thought Rosto and Ma would ask Aniki to move downstairs, and turn the entire last floor into one big apartment, with a medium room for Ma and Rosto, a smaller room for me, and some of what used to be a hallway, would be a front sitting room. All respectable like. Where the girl got the idea I didn't know, but I dunno if it would be that awful. I mean, it'd be like being a real family. Still, I had to go upstairs and help before I could hear where she heard it from and if she'd heard anything more, being as I was stronger than Rosto and could push the big dresser around and I could tell that it made Rosto feel bad, because he could not help much what with the fact that he's still recovering his strength from his long ordeal.

So, he helped unpack while Ma and I repacked (though most of them had never been unpacked or opened) the crates and took them back up the stairs. I did note that the crate that had the silk shirts of Rosto's had been pushed into the corner by the time the rest of them had been brought back up. I did have to wonder about that as I helped unpack some of the stuff. And Piper helped, too, by dragging baskets up the stairs.

Not much else happened of note until the Court of the Rogue began to gather. Ma and I had dinner downstairs while Rosto ate upstairs, as planned. Aniki sat on her throne, talking to Phelan while rushers filtered in. Bold Brian and his crew showed up – I'm amazed that the cove has managed to stay alive this long, now that I think about it. His jaw was healed, though there was still some leftover yellowing from what must've been an awful nasty bruise. Anyway, when a few of the younger rushers came in, their eyes lit up when they saw me and Ma. I figured that it was because they wanted entertainment again, knowing Aniki. I was right, it turned out. The mot who had acted as the voice of the younger rushers before was pushed forward by her friends again.

"Your majesty?" she asked. Aniki nodded, gesturing for the mot to continue. "Since the Coopers are back and all, might we ask them, well, might Guardswoman Cooper be asked to perform again? We haven't had any entertainment since her last song…" she trailed off, wringing her hands nervously as Aniki looked at her with calm blue eyes. It was rather ironic, being as Ma and Rosto had planned a song anyway. Aniki shifted on her seat a little, her face as mask of calm, and looked at me and Ma.

"That would be up to her. Beka, would you mind?" she asked. Ma, who had turned in her seat to look at Aniki, sighed, putting on a bit of a show of reluctance, for all I knew she wasn't.

"I suppose it wouldn't be too much trouble," she said finally. She lowered her voice and turned to me. "Would you pull out that flute, Jarred?" she asked.

I nodded, reaching down to where Callingbird had been stowed in my boot like I'd seen Rosto do. Ma got up and walked over to Aniki's throne and stopped next to the dais. She closed her eyes and waited for me to begin the song and get to the proper place for her to begin.

I exhaled and relaxed my arms and the muscles in my face and did the T-stance Rosto had showed me earlier and stood tall _. Think regal. Think tall. And above all, breathe like it's the easiest thing in the world_. I put the warm wood to my mouth and start.

" _Your baby blues, so full of wonder…your curly cues, you contagious smile,_ "she opened her eyes there, her gaze locked on me as she delved into her magic. " _And as I watch, you start to grow up…all I can do…is hold you tight_."

Already, I could feel the waves of emotion coming off of her without even needing to reach for my own magic. There was a bittersweet joy in her tone. I could tell that, though Rosto had written those words years ago, probably in honor of someone, like his mother or his sister or something. But either way, it was remarkably fitting in this situation.

" _Knowing clouds will raise up, storms will race in, but you will be safe, in my arms_." Most of the bittersweet feeling had faded by now, but there was still a little sorrow mixed in with the joy in her voice. " _Rains will pour down, waves will crash around, but you will be safe…in my arms…_ " She paused, looking at me with tears in her eyes before she went on. " _Storybooks are full of fairy tales – of kings and queens, and the bluest skies…my heart is torn, just in knowing…you'll someday see truth from lies…_ "

There were tears streaming uninhibited down her face; her eyes were still locked on me as she returned to the song's refrain. Everyone else in the room had tears in their eyes, too. Some of them were bawling full out, not caring what anyone else would think of them. No one was immune to what Ma was singing. Even me and Aniki, who was fighting it mightily, weren't able to stop ourselves. But even then, every person in the inn had a little bit of a smile on their face as they were feeling both the sorrow and the joy she was feeling. The sorrow and joy that she felt in having watched me grow up and now having to let go.

" _Rains will pour down, waves will crash around, but you will be safe in my arms_." She paused again there, taking a deep breath, which she let out when another pipe joined mine. The high sweeping soprano of Rosto's pipe Nightingale soared above Callingbird and Ma's voice, and really showed off the hopeful heart of the song. The whole inn turned in surprise toward the stairway. Rosto stood less than halfway up, holding himself with dignity and clad in a demure grey silk shirt. Didn't change the fact that he looked more regal than any king, he made looking good look easy. Even when he didn't look as amazing as he used to. He started down the stairs as he played, his eyes on Ma alone.

" _Castles they might crumble, and dreams may not come true, but you are never all alone…because I will always…always love you…"_ As they stood only a few feet apart, Ma added her voice back in for the final refrain.

I will admit that Rosto was mostly right. I sometimes wonder what it would've sounded like if Rosto had sung instead of played his flute. But he is a Master Piper, and it would be unfair to have him sing when he can play so well. I mean, hearing Nightingale, was like seeing the music notes soar. It was truly heart-catching.

As ma's voice, and the music, faded and the song ended, complete silence met them. Bold Brian fell out of his chair as he stared at Rosto, who now had Ma pulled close and wrapped in his arms. I hadn't noticed until then that there were a few Dogs present, as well with Tunstall, Goodwin, Rinny, and Tay among them. Other than Rinny, they were all staring at Ma and Rosto. Admittedly, she had her eyebrows raised, but she wasn't actually staring.

But, anyway, they had been staring at Ma and Rosto, who were still standing by the dais catching their breath. Rosto nodded to Aniki, shifting a little so that his arm remained around Ma's waist and she had her head resting on his chest, but they were both facing the majority of those in the inn.

"Some of you may recognize me," he started, "though, a number of you will not. I'm Rosto the Piper, the Rogue before Aniki. I rather mysteriously disappeared from Corus over eighteen years ago. Much has happened, none of which I will share," he continued. His dark eyes landed on Brian, who was still sitting on the floor and looked as if he'd seen a ghost. "And while I'm at it, though all of you already know them, I'm sure, I must present to the Court of the Rogue… my beautiful wife, Rebakah Cooper, and our son, Jarred…"

If it was possible, Brian paled more. Apparently, he had realized that all of those jibes he'd taken through the years were about to come back and bite him, particularly the one that landed him with a broken jaw.

Tay's mouth had fallen open as he glanced between me and my parents. Until Rinny elbowed him hard in the side, that is. He glared at her while she smirked at him and said something. Whatever it was, it made Tay roll his eyes.

Then, a couple of voices called 'kiss her' from the back, where a group of young rushers were gathered. Rosto and Ma grinned at each other for a moment, both chuckling before he leaned down slightly and kissed her passionately.

A few people wolf-whistled before the kiss was broken. Then people cheered; I don't think it was many, but a few of them did, at least. Ma blushed and looked at the floorboards. Rosto chuckled and pulled her closer before leading her over to the counter again. He watched the Court of the Rogue while Ma and I finished our dinners. I handed Callingbird back to him while I was eating. He shook his head and nudged the pipe back toward me. He was giving it to me! I was so shocked I could only mutter my thanks. I didn't know if it'd be all right for me to hug him or if I should bow, or kiss his hand, or sommat like that. How does a cove act around a man who's more friend than father but has given you a father's gift?

The Court of the Rogue was too disturbed by his reappearance to do much of anything, for all Aniki tried to get it back under control. But, all in all, nothing really happened. The Dogs present conversed among themselves while Ma and Rosto continued to talk quietly.

When people started to get up to approach them, Rosto led Ma upstairs. And, to avoid being questioned by all of the Rats, having been deprived of their goal and then turning to me, I went upstairs, too. All in all, an interesting day, and an interesting time at the Court of the Rogue…

I'm tired, and my eyes are starting to sting. I'm going to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song in this chapter is In My Arms by Plumb.


	29. Home

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,  
Trainee in the Provost's Guard  
The Lower City, Corus

June 18, 267

After Watch

After yesterday, nothing can be as exciting. I honestly can't think of anything that could have topped that. Either way, today was more of a normal day, with a few differences, what with Rosto here now. I am beginning to wonder, though, how easily he has managed to accept all of this while I'm still struggling with it.

Here I am, knowing the same information, and weeks later, I still can't even begin to think of him as 'Da' or anything like that. But the day he found out, he addressed me as 'son.' It was like nothing had changed for him, and my whole world has changed in that regard. I've spent so long wondering, I'm starting to think that maybe this is just too much for me. I'd never thought that Rosto the Piper could be my father. Though, mainly, that's probably because I had never heard more than those spooky stories about how he was spirited away. Well, that's mostly true, it turns out…

All the same, moving on. By the time I got up, Piper as already awake and bouncing around my room. The reason I was woken up was that she knocked half a dozen books off of my desk (I still don't know how – she's not _that_ big) and they made a loud thud on the floor. I had to pick up everything she had knocked over (which took a good ten minutes easily, maybe fifteen) before I could even think about getting dressed. And while I was cleaning up, she did it all over again. That game went on for a good half an hour before I realized that it was a game.

"Is this fun for you, Piper?" I asked. She yipped and wagged her tail. "You like making me go around in circles picking up what you knock over, don't you?" She yipped again.

' _Yeah, yeah! Jarred funny! Plays like Lania!'_ she told me. I laughed at my puppy.

"You played the same trick on Alania?" I asked her. She ducked her head in what could only be her version of a nod. I chuckled, reaching out to scratch her head. "All right, Piper. Now, I have to go clean up and get dressed. Elsewise, Ma may get mad if I'm not downstairs for breakfast." Piper yipped again and padded across my room, jumping up on my bed as soon as she was close enough.

I finished cleaning up her mess before I changed into a dark grey shirt, tan breeches, and a dark forest green tunic. I pulled on my black boots and rose, heading for the door. Piper dashed out as soon as it was open enough for her to shove her little body through the space between the door and the framing. She reached the bottom of the stairs and raced back up, almost knocking me headfirst down the stairway. Thank Mithros for the railing…

Aniki and Phelan were already at the counter, chatting as they waited for the rest of us to come down for breakfast. I frowned slightly when I saw that it was just the two of them and Corcoran. Ma was always up before me. Always, no matter how much less sleep she had gotten.

"Did you hear any movement from upstairs before you came down, Jare?" Aniki asked. I ignored her use of the ever annoying nickname and shook my head.

"Nary a sound. Of course, a certain puppy of mine was making quite a bit of noise, so I can't be sure. Did you happen to hear when she knocked a pile of books off of my desk?" I asked. Aniki and Phelan chuckled and nodded.

"Aye, we heard it. Right through the floor, too, and we're not even above you. I'm surprised that didn't wake Rosto, though," Aniki said. "He's always been a light sleeper…"

"You'd be surprised. When we were in that cell together, he slept through the sound of a metal door slamming against stone at least once, if not more," I told her. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him, both a little startled and somewhat curious.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to break him of that habit," she replied, a mischievous glint in her blue eyes. A moment later, she sighed. "I do wish they would hurry up and get up already, though. I'm hungry and they're late," she grumbled. I chuckled at her words and somewhat doleful expression as she looked at the pasties that Corcoran was preparing for breakfast. It ain't often that you hear Aniki complaining.

I fed Piper before I joined them at the counter. It wasn't long before we gave up and decided that Ma and Rosto could get up on their own time and scrounge up whatever was leftover for breakfast – all of us were hungry enough that our stomachs were rumbling. I was just about to have a bite of a fresh apple fritter when the bell clanged and Goodwin let herself in. She took one look at us before she put her hands on her hips.

"Don't tell me they aren't up yet…" Aniki stifled a laugh with her hand.

"We haven't heard a peep from either of them. I think they were pretty tired after all that has been going on in the last few days," she said. Goodwin rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Jarred, would you run up and get Beka?" she asked. I nodded.

"Sure. Come on, Piper," I said. My puppy dashed up after me as I made my way up the stairs a moment later. When I knocked on Ma's door, there was no response. I knocked again and paused to give either of them a chance to answer it.

 _I help_? Piper asked. I grinned as an idea popped into my head.

"Excellent idea, Piper," I told her. She wagged her tail. After another few moments of waiting, I went ahead and opened the door, letting Piper rush in. She jumped up on the bed, landing in the perfect spot to knock Rosto right out of bed. He yelped, which jerked Ma awake. He hit the floor with a thud and reappeared seconds later, glaring at my puppy. Then he saw me at the door and started glowering at me.

"Jarred…" he growled. He was about to say something (probably something nasty, considering what had just happened, I'm sure) when Ma, who had recovered from the shock, put her hand on his arm. He looked at her and sighed. Rosto proceeded to cross his arms over his chest and shoot dirty looks at me and Piper every few seconds.

"What is it, Jarred?" Ma asked.

"Goodwin is downstairs waiting for you. She told me to wake you up," I told her. Rosto shot a dirty look in the general direction of the stairway then, muttering under his breath.

"This is her way of getting me back for Port Caynn. I know it is…" he muttered. He shot me another nasty look as he continued to mutter things. Seems like he managed to wake up on the wrong side of the bed...not on it at all….

"All right, tell Clary that I'll be down in a few moments," she said. Then she turned to Rosto, who was still highly annoyed, and said something to him quietly. Piper pranced back over to me with her tail held high in a proud sort of way. Well, she certainly had achieved the desired effect…

I closed the door behind me and started down the stairs again. This time, though, Piper did not try to (whether it was intentional or unintentional the first time) to knock me down the stairs. That was good, because I really did not want to see the healer today.

"They'll be down in a minute," I told Goodwin when I got to the bottom of the steps. She had been waiting impatiently halfway across the room at the time. It was several moments later when we finally heard the upstairs door open again. By then, Goodwin was tapping her foot while I had started eating my apple fritter, which was gooey and warm…I need to stop that or I'm going to want another one now.

Goodwin gave Rosto a funny look, which he shrugged off, when he came downstairs with Ma. I don't even pretend to understand her. I don't think I want to, either. Ma walked over to her while Rosto sat down at the counter next to Aniki and started a conversation with her and Phelan. I hadn't even had a chance to take another bite before Ma called my attention to her.

"Jarred, you'll want to come over here," she said. I sighed and got up, but this time, I took my plate with me. It was only fair, since I had been interrupted again and all. Once I joined them, Goodwin started.

"Jewel brought me her version of the report this morning, but I'm going to need one from one or both of you - preferably both, but it's not necessary – as well because she wasn't in the castle. And for the sake of the record, it would be better that way. I've also talked to Lord Devon, and he said that it wasn't necessary for any of you to have to present at the Courts, because there isn't a need to sentence your Rat, since he's already dead. So, all you have to do is write up a report or two, and the case will be closed," she said. There was a moment of silence before Goodwin spoke up again. "You'll both be back on Watch tonight, if you're rested…?" she asked, trailing off with a question. I had just taken a bite (it appears that Rosto is not the only one with the 'talent' for taking bites that are too big) then, so I couldn't answer right away. Ma said she would while I could only nod as I chewed the large bite. After that, the conversation shifted to just between Ma and Goodwin. I went back to my breakfast then, because it wasn't all that interesting to me.

I was content to think about the past couple of days while they talked about feminine things that I did not want to hear. It was just a tad annoying, though, that Rosto had monopolized Aniki and Phelan, but I can't fault him for it. He hasn't seen them in years, and I'm sure that he's missed them, considering how close they must have been before. (Particularly if Rosto was the one who introduced Ma and Aniki, and they're real close.) Still, it made it all rather boring acos they were all wrapped up in their conversations and I couldn't take part in it, because half the time Rosto and Aniki would switch to Scanran. They would chatter in that for a moment, then switch back to Common to include Phelan. I think I'm the only one in the Dove who doesn't understand a lick of Scanran. And they were talking fast anyway, so it was hard to understand them half the time unless I stopped eating and listened very carefully.

After Goodwin and Ma were done talking and breakfast had calmed down, there really wasn't all that much for me to do. I polished my baton, sharpened my belt knife, cleaned up a little more, took Piper on a walk, stopped to see my friends, and came back before Watch. All in all, it was pretty boring, except for when me and Piper were just getting back to the Dove and there was some commotion out back that caught my attention.

I walked over to the door to the courtyard out back to see Ma was leaning against one of outer walls, watching Rosto and Aniki. All three of them were dressed lightly, in loose fitting clothes and Aniki and Rosto both had daggers out. Rosto had sheaths strapped onto his wrists as well as the prints of daggers against his clothing and at least one blade in each boot. He was panting while Aniki had only begun to tire, it seemed.

I stopped to watch for a minute, wanting to see what they were doing. Aniki lunged, but Rosto dodged relatively easily. She whirled only to stop when Rosto winced and made it seem like he had a cramp in his leg. Ma started forward, a look of concern on her face, and Aniki let her guard down momentarily.

A split-second later, Rosto struck, knocking Aniki off her feet. He sprang up, letting out a triumphant sound. Until, that is, Aniki retaliated and sent him sprawling on the dusty ground. For a moment, he looked between her and Ma, as if he was judging the distance she was away from them to see if he could get away with anything. They both stared at him for a moment before he rolled his eyes and laughed. He got to his feet, helping Aniki up before he collected the daggers that had gotten knocked out of his hands.

He noticed me standing at the door a moment later and grinned, shaking his head. I chuckled and waved before heading back into the Dove to get ready for baton practice.

Baton practice was not fun. I got knocked on my bum at least five times (I think it was more like seven) and I almost got another nap-tap from Goodwin. I only barely got out of the way before her baton hit me. If I didn't know any better, I would swear that her goal is to knock me out again. Not very comforting, if you ask me, and I've known Goodwin my whole life. So that makes it less comforting, really.

After that, there was only a little time between practice and Watch. Ma came in right on time, as did Rinny and Tay, the latter of whom did not look happy. I talked to Elaine briefly before walking over to my Dogs before we headed out. Tay would not look at me. I raised an eyebrow and glanced at Rinny.

"Is something wrong with him?" I asked her. She shrugged.

"No idea. Tay won't tell me anything, which is unusual, being as we've been partners for years," she said. She poked him in the arm and he glared at her for it. I don't blame him – I don't like being poked, either. Or licked, which seems to happen a lot, even though we're newly back from Scanra.

"It's nothing," he muttered. Rinny cocked an eyebrow at him, tilting her head slightly.

"Now, are you really going to do this to me, Tay? Even after me and my husband took care of you and all?" she asked, looking up at him with her arms crossed over her chest and her posture impatient. After a moment, Tay sighed.

"Fine, I'll tell you. But we need to head out now or Goodwin is going to chase us out, by the look of it," he said sulkily. He led us out of the Kennel and we started down the street. As soon as we were around on of the corners, Rinny put her arm on Tay's and stopped him.

"All right, now will you tell us what's bothering you?" she asked him. He nodded, his gaze flicking to me. I tilted my head slightly. I was completely confused.

"He is," Tay said, nodding his head in my direction. "You were our Puppy for a month before you went off north, and you never told either of us about the fact that your father was the Rogue, much less Rosto the Piper," he said. I almost laughed. That was what this was about? How ridiculous!

"Tay," I started. He sent me a dirty look that somewhat mirrored the one Rosto had given me this morning for waking him up by sending Piper to pounce on him and Ma. I shrugged it off. "Tay, I didn't even know myself," I told him. "Ma never said anything about Rosto being my da, and I had yet to figure it out. I only figured it out when I got my bum thrown in a cell in Scanra for trespassing, and it happened to be the one he was in. At that, it still took me about three days to figure it out. I would have told you if I'd known," I finished. He looked somewhat satisfied by that answer.

"If you say so," he said quietly. I couldn't help but smile. I'm rather grateful that both of my Dogs are relatively easygoing for the most part. It would be a lot harder if I had Tunstall and Goodwin like Ma did. Then I would have to live up to their expectations of me as well as deal with Goodwin and her moods, and Tunstall being….well, Tunstall.

Most of Watch was pretty simple after that. I caught three pickpockets, a Rat who was trying to foist from a shopkeeper while changing coin (at that, his coin was fake, to top it off), and another Rat who was trying to pass off fake charm that would supposedly cause the owner to never be wrong when gambling myself. All in all, it was a fully night, what with all of the other Rats we caught. It was a good night.

I've just realized that this is the last page of this book now, too. It's very sad for me to see that. I've known for a while that this journal would come to an end, but it has been a good friend to me. It is a good reminder of what my life was like before (though I don't know how much it is going to change), and what it was like for me to meet my father for the first time.

While I'm sad to see this journal go, I've enjoyed writing in this book. I can see all that has happened and be glad of it. And with that in mind, I can close my journal for the last time I will be able to write in it as my candle flickers tonight. My first adventure seems to be over, but it's far from complete. I'll have other adventures, and I mean for them to be as good as this one.


	30. Appendix

_**Jarred Cooper: Piper's Rain - Appendix** _

**Characters**

_**-Nobles** _

**Devon of King's Reach** – Lord Provost, Lord of King's Reach

 **Gershom of Haryse –** Previous Lord Provost (retired), Lord of Haryse, Beka's sponsor and foster father

 **Kevlin of Venicele -** nobleman

 **Kindan of Haryse** \- knight, eldest son of Lord Gershom and Lady Teodorie (deceased)

 **Teodorie of Haryse** – Lord Gershom's wife

_**-The Dogs (The Provost's Guard)** _

**Arina Jewel –** "Rinny," Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street, street veteran of ten years, one of Jarred's training Dogs

 **Birch** – Senior Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street, Ersken's partner after Beka

 **Clara Goodwin –** Watch Sergeant for Evening Watch at Jane Street, Tunstall's partner, called Clary and Sarge, also in charge of the baton training for the Puppies of Evening Watch

 **Dario –** Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street (killed in riot)

 **Elaine** – Puppy on Evening Watch at Jane Street, friend of Jarred's

 **Ersken Westover** – Corporal, Evening Watch at Jane Street, one of Beka's closest friends, twenty-one year street veteran

 **Ghent** – Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street (killed in riot)

 **Jaden Harper** – Dog, Day Watch

 **Jarred Cooper –** Puppy, Evening Watch at Jane Street, son of Beka Cooper and Rosto the Piper, seventeen and a half years old

 **Kayly Harwell –** Senior Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street, Beka's Partner

 **Kebibi Ahuda –** Former Watch Sergeant, now retired

 **Lirael** – Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street (killed in riot)

 **Matthias Tunstall** – "Mattes," Senior Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street, Goodwin's partner

 **Nyler Jewel –** Retired Dog

 **Rebakah Cooper** – "Beka," Corporal, Evening Watch at Jane Street, Jarred's mother, married to Rosto the Piper

 **Taylor Prince** – "Tay," Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street, street veteran of fifteen years, one of Jarred's training Dogs

 **Tristan of Masbolle** \- Watch Commander, Evening Watch (Jane Street Kennel), noble

 **Tylia** – Puppy, Evening Watch at Jane Street (killed in riot)

 **Siarra** – Dog, Evening Watch at Jane Street (killed in riot)

_**-The Court of the Rogue** _

**Aniki Forfrysning –** Queen of the Rogue (the Rogue), friend of Beka's, owner of the Dancing Dove

 **Lockhorn** – Port Caynn Rogue

 **Phelan** – rusher, former Dog, Aniki's man, friend of Beka's

 **Bold Brian –** rusher, very foolish, also called "The Bold Bugnob" by most of the inhabitants of the Dove

 **Ria –** rusher, Elaine's sister, friend of Jarred's

_**-Other Persons and Beings of Interest** _

**Alania Westover –** Kora and Ersken's eldest daughter, likes Jarred

 **Andara –** hunter (in Scanra)

 **Angelina –** Rosto's sister

 **Anjier Westover –** twin, son of Kora and Ersken

 **Calyn –** Rosto's step-brother, Scanran lord by marriage (probably deceased)

 **Celtrin Westover –** "Cel,"Kora and Ersken's eldest son

 **Corcoran** – cook and barman at the Dancing Dove, called 'Cookie' by Beka

 **Crookshank –** Ammon Lofts, tyrannical landlord (deceased)

 **Destiny Eastbrook** – Shang Wolf

 **Izack –** Rinny's nephew

 **Jenos** – guard at the castle (in Scanra), likes Veya

 **Kai** – Rinny's husband

 **Kalir –** friend of Jarred's, moved to fief Goldenlake

 **Koramin Westover –** "Kora," ex-rogue, mage, married to Ersken Westover

 **Leani Westover** – "Lea," youngest daughter and child of Kora and Ersken

 **Lily –** Kalir's younger sister, likes Jarred, moved to fief Goldenlake

 **Oraia** – Veya and Andara's sister (deceased)

 **Piper** – dog, constellation in mortal form (The Hunter's Companion), Jarred's familiar

 **Pounce** – cat, constellation in mortal form (The Cat), Beka's familiar

 **Rikki** – Rosto's step-brother

 **Robbie** – friend of Jarred's

 **Rosson Westover** – twin, son of Kora and Ersken, named for Rosto

 **Rosto the Piper –** ex-King of the Rogue, imprisoned in Scanra for eighteen years, married to Beka Cooper, Jarred's father

 **Valin Halcyon** – Shang Leopard

 **Veya** – hunter (in Scanra)

**Scanran** **(See chapter seventeen) as created by Lady Wolf**

_**K'o sje tchi?**_ _-_ Who are you?

 _ **Shta tje radishli ovdije?**_ – What are you doing here?

 _ **Tortalli**_ _–_ Tortallan, used in both reference to someone from the country of Tortall, and the Tortallan language of Common

**Glossary of Terms**

**Acos -** because

 **Birdie –** informant

 **Bugnob** – person of very little brain

 **Cracknob** \- madman

 **Douse** – murder

 **Elsewise** \- otherwise

 **Foist** – master pickpocket

 **Gixie –** girl

 **Glim(s) –** eye(s)

 **Hobble -** arrest

 **Looby –** moron, idiot

 **Mot** – common-born woman

 **Sommat** – something

 **Spintry –** male prostitute


End file.
